Alchatek Blog

The Problem

As tidal flows rise and fall, water pushes its way in through cracks, joints, and defects in seawalls.  The water pushes in on incoming tides and flows out on outgoing tides.  As the water flows out, it carries sand and soil with it which causes undermining of the structure, voids to form, and deteriorates the structural integrity of the seawall.  This cycle is exacerbated during periods of heavy rain which continue the outflow of soil.

The Solution

AP Fill 700 is a semi-rigid hydrophobic polyurethane foam that reacts with water or moisture in the soil and expands to fill voids while it permeates sandy soil to form a solid, strong, watertight mass.  It has been used extensively in seawall applications to seal cracks, voids and defects as well as for filling voids and stabilizing the soil.

The Process

AP Fill 700 can be injected through pipes directly into voids and loose sandy soil using a single component pump (airless sprayer or double diaphragm pump).

Step 1:  Insert pipes down to the lowest level to be injected.  This can be done through driving the pipes mechanically, water jetting, or air jetting them down.

Step 2:  Ensure the soil has enough moisture content to cause a reaction of the AP Fill 700 (slightly damp to saturated).

Step 3:  Blend catalyst with AP Fill 700 to desired level.  Typically, between 2% and 5% AP 106 Catalyst will be sufficient.

Step 4:  Connect the hose from the pump to the injection pipe.  The hose should have a ball valve to control the flow of the material.

Step 5:  Inject AP Fill 700 either at a pre-determined rate (rule of thumb is 1 gallon per vertical foot) or until sufficient back pressure is established.

Step 6:  After each “point” is injected, raise the pipe 12” and repeat the process.  Once the pipe is within 24” of the surface you will probably get material flowing back to the surface (known as “refusal”).  Stop at this point and move to the next pipe.

Step 7:  Repeat this process until the entire area has been injected.

Note:  A containment barrier should be used on the water side of the seawall to capture any foam that leaks out of the seawall during the process.

Note:  Check valve type drains may need to be installed in the seawall after injection to allow water from heavy rains to vent out and reduce pressure on the seawall.  These drains will allow water to flow out, but not soil.

Want in-depth info on seawall repair procedures and products?

Repair sea walls instead of replacing them by stopping high flow leaks, filling the voids behind concrete structures and binding loose soil with:

AP Fill 720 & AP Fill 700 — innovative, cost effective, water activated, low viscosity, simple to use closed cell polyurethane injection resins.

Proven Strength

• Because these foams are impermeable to water once in place, the likelihood of future erosion is vastly diminished versus other commonly used fill materials.
  
  
• Originally developed over 30 years ago, and continuously improved since, this technology has one of the longest histories of success in the field among engineering uses of polyurethane foams.

Environmentally Friendly

• Phthalate free.
• Approved for contact with drinking water.

Quick Set Time vs Cement Grout

• AP Fill 700 & 720 foams set in 10 minutes or less.
• Cement grout takes hours to days.

Differences Between 700 and 720

• 720 has a higher expansion ratio and is more flexible when cured.
• 700 has a lower viscosity, so it works better in cooler temperatures.

Want a complete technical breakdown of AP Fill 700 & 720 for seawall repair?

When it comes to seawalls, there is a lot more to learn than meets the eye. A seawall is like a living, breathing thing: especially in the way that it is designed to function. But like all living breathing things, they have a finite lifespan. For many of them, it's a mere 20 – 30 years. Depending on where you live, replacing a seawall can cost anywhere from $150 to $500 per foot. That's enough for some homeowners to choose to move instead of rebuilding their seawalls. Today however, signs of seawall distress can be solved before they get too bad through the application of polyurethane grouts to seal leaks, fill voids, and stabilize the surrounding soils.

Although seawalls are found around lakes and rivers, it is around the ocean that they are put to the most difficult test. Salt corrosion, tidal action, currents, boat wakes, storm surges and sometimes hurricanes all deliver a constant beating on the seawall. But many of the forces are also coming from the landward side of the wall. Every time it rains or the irrigation system runs, and every time the tide goes out; all of the groundwater above the waterline has to vent or equalize. Tremendous pressures can build up if that water is trapped and cannot make its way into the sea or the storm water system.

Correct construction of a seawall will include a drainage system to handle the bulk of the water that comes from rain in addition to check valves, weep holes, or seams to handle the daily influx and outflow from tide and wave action. Although these systems are designed to retain the soil behind the seawall, over time the materials degrade or can be disturbed by settling. The result is a loss of soil and the inevitable sinkholes and / or low spots that will occur along the wall. Other times, the weep holes and vents become clogged and the water has no way to escape except to force its way down and out from underneath the base of the wall. When this occurs there will again be sinkholes and sometimes wall failure.

When signs of sinking ground are observed, you can almost be sure there are voids below that are unseen and dangerous. Sometimes these voids can extend below an adjacent patio, dock, or pool deck, causing those to sink and crack. Anticipating those problems is key to keeping those problems at bay, and proper application of polyurethane injection is the solution. AP Fill 700 is a lightweight injection resin that can be injected along the wall where the settling is occurring and generate multiple benefits. It will seal any leaks along the wall, fill the voids that have occurred, and mix with the soil to form a solid, impermeable mass. Combined with proper drainage, this method can extend the life of your seawall.

If you live along the water, it is always going to be man against nature. That seawall is keeping your property from damage and from disappearing altogether. Advanced polyurethane technology from Alchemy-Spetec is a key to extending the life of your seawall. It's fast, clean, easy to install, and most of all, effective.

Want in-depth info on seawall repair procedures and products?

The month of June kicks off hurricane season and the forecasters are calling for a higher than normal level of activity (don’t they always?). Last year I posted a blog noting hurricane season arriving and I had no idea how prophetic it would turn out to be. 2017 brought some of the worst hurricane damage in years to the United States.

After the storms, of course, there was a flood of phone calls to both Alchemy-Spetec headquarters and to our contractor network. Homeowners and businesses on the water suffered catastrophic damage to their seawalls and bulkheads. The city of Punta Gorda, FL alone lost over 9 miles of seawall with another 17 miles damaged. The bright spot of all this was what we discovered when we inspected seawalls that had been grouted with polyurethane. These particular seawalls held up remarkably well.

Here’s what we learned in the aftermath:

Many people that live or work on the water often observe sinkholes that develop on the landward side of the seawall. Tides, wakes, and heavy rain events create hydrostatic pressure that is constantly trying to equalize on both sides of the wall. If water behind the wall cannot relieve itself through drains or weep holes, it will force its way beneath the wall carrying soil with it. This is called “piping”. Over time these pathways will funnel more and more soil out from behind the wall, creating sinkholes and dangerous voids.

Last year, especially with Irma, the eye of the hurricane was off the west coast of Florida and it created a
huge sucking action. You probably saw footage of Tampa Bay being emptied by the suction. At the
same time, all those seawalls and bulkheads with the voids and the piping experienced panel rotation.
That is what happens when the upper part of the wall remains secured with a deadman or tieback, and
the lower portion of the wall blows out. After that it is game over for the wall and the entire property is
in jeopardy.

When contractors inject a seawall with Alchemy-Spetec polyurethane, they drive injection probes several feet below the toe of the wall. Permeation and void filling resins like AP Fill 700 penetrate sandy soil, plug up voids or piping pathways, and stop the loss of soil from behind the wall. We are literally building the seawall down instead of up, and it works!

If you have made a decision to live or locate your business beside the water, then you know too well the
risks. Consider having an Alchemy-Spetec certified contractor come by and evaluate your current seawall
condition. Remember, once a wall fails the entire property is at risk of being lost. I know adding a
couple more feet to the seawall cap is real popular these days but consider building it down this year
instead.

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec seawall products?

If you're not familiar with polyurethane soil stabilization, here's a basic overview excerpted from the brochure you can download at the bottom of this blog post:

Unstable soil can be defined as soil that will not stay in place on its own, and therefore requires extra support. It should be noted that unstable soil can threaten the stability, security, and safety of infrastructure and can damage, degrade, and even destroy a number of structures, such as buildings, bridges, and roads. There are a variety of factors that can cause unstable soil including erosion, poor compaction, freeze/thaw cycles and decomposition.

Soil can be stabilized with AP Soil 600, Spetec PUR H40, Spetec AG100 and Spetec AG200. Once the bearing capacity of the soil has been increased with this process, then the structure can be lifted if necessary.

For a detailed explanation of the process in a variety of settings, watch the animated video below...

Want more informaton on Alchemy-Spetec soil stabilization products?

Today I finally heard from a customer in the Naples Florida area.  I have been trying to reach these guys since hurricane Irma rolled through, so it was a relief to finally talk to them.  They are still 3 weeks away from getting power.  Thank goodness they have a slab lifting rig with a big generator to get some power and AC going.

All across the gulf coast and east coast, seawalls and other structures near the water have been put under immense stress.  Severe scouring, sinkholes, and seawall failures are being reported.  The damage is staggering.

One hurricane-related phenomenon that occurred on Florida's west coast was a suction that drained the water from harbors and bays.  You may have seeen the videos on YouTube.  Unfortunately, that sucking action pulled with it tons of sandy soil from behind seawalls and bulkheads.  In many cases the seawall toes have completely blown out.  The amount of property in danger due to further erosion and exposure to the sea is sobering.

There is help available.  Alchemy-Spetec and our network of certified contractors are experienced at stopping soil loss, fixing sinkholes, and stabilizing bulkheads and repairing seawalls.  In cases where the entire seawall was destroyed, soil stabilization may be the only line of defense against a growing loose soil zone threatening to consume the property your business or home is built on.

The product our contractors use to stop this soil loss is a permeation resin designed to penetrate loose soil zones, bind it all together, and stop further loss.  This product, AP Fill 700, has a controlled reaction time that gives the experts the control to make the material do what they want it to.  Whether it’s binding soil or filling voids and seawall breaches; it fits the bill.

AP Fill 700 is drinking water contact approved and phthalate free.  Don’t forget to inquire about that with your contractor.  Some competitor products contain phthalates and those are marine toxins.  Alchemy-Spetec has your back when it comes to the environment.

Protect your property, stop loss of soil and the formation of dangerous sinkholes, and trust our certified contractors that use Alchemy-Spetec soil stabilizing and seawall protecting polyurethanes. 

Call 404-618-0438 to get the help you need.

Want more information on polyurethane seawall repair?

In this post I'd like focus on residential seawall repair. If you love the ocean, then living near the water can be an ideal situation most of the time. You can enjoy scenic views of the sea, easy access to the water, and gentle ocean breezes as you sit out on your deck.

But one challenge many oceanfront home owners eventually find themselves facing is leaking seawalls. You depend on seawalls to keep water on the outside and the the soil that supports your property on the inside. The seawall protecting your property is vulnerable to many degrading factors. As my colleague Andy Powell wrote in his excellent blog post Stop Erosion through Your Seawall with Polyurethane, "salt corrosion, tidal action, currents, boat wakes, storm surges and sometimes hurricanes all deliver a constant beating on the seawall."

Sometimes seawall leaks become evident through the telltale sign of unstable soil (basically, small mini-sinkholes) just inside the seawall. Observable symptoms along these lines can also be an indicator of further, unseen damage, as Andy explains in his article, "...these voids can extend below an adjacent patio, dock, or pool deck, eventually causing those structures to sink and crack."

Fortunately there's a solution! AP Fill 700 and Spetec H100 are semi-rigid hydrophobic polyurethane foams that react with moisture in the soil and expand to fill voids while they permeate the soil to form a solid, strong, watertight mass. They have been used extensively in seawall applications to seal cracks and defects, as well as fill voids and stabilize soil.

Want more information on polyurethane seawall repair?

As mentioned in the previous blog post Stop Erosion Through Your Seawall with Polyurethane:

When it comes to seawalls, there is a lot more to learn than meets the eye. A seawall is like a living, breathing thing: especially in the way that they are designed to function. But like all living breathing things, they have a finite lifespan. For many of them, it's a mere 20 – 30 years. For many seawalls, their lifespan is a mere 20-30 years and depending on where you live, replacing a seawall can cost anywhere from $150 to $500 per foot. Today however, signs of seawall distress can be solved before they get too bad through the application of polyurethane grouts to seal leaks, fill voids, and stabilize the surrounding soils.

Now that you're armed with this information, let’s take a look at a few advantages of pursuing large industrial seawall projects over residential projects.

Higher Budgets/Larger Areas Needing Repair

Additional Properties

Industrial property owners and managers are more likely to have additional properties needing repair. After you complete your first job for an industrial customer, keep in touch with them regularly so that you're top of mind when their next seawall repair problem arises.

More Bang for Your Buck

Think about it this way. You have to spend a certain amount of your marketing budget per lead anyways. Why not focus that money on industrial sized customers? You're more likely to get a higher return on your investment in the short term and seriously scale up your business in the long term.

Want more information on industrial seawall repair?

In this post, I will provide a brief overview of Alchemy-Spetec's AP Fill 700 and its properties.

What is AP Fill 700?

AP Fill 700 is a single component, water activated, hydrophobic, low viscosity, closed cell polyurethane leak seal injection resin.

What are the applications & advantages?

AP Fill 700 can be used in numerous applications. Not only can it be used to stop gushing leaks, it can also be used to fill voids behind concrete structures. In addition, it's useful for cutting off underground water flows and consolidating loose soil. Last but not least AP Fill 700 is often used for seawall repair. This injection resin has a very low viscosity rating and is water impermeable. Its adjustable set time can be as fast as just 20 seconds. AP Fill 700 is also environmentally friendly and approved for contact with drinking water.

Need more information on leak seal products?

As the end of the year approaches, it feels appropriate to take a look back at some the most popular Alchemy Polymers blog posts.  A quick look at the stats on the day I write this article reveals the top posts to be Slab Jacking with Polyurethane Foam – How Strong is Strong Enough?, Stop Erosion Through Your Seawall with Polyurethane and Permeation vs. Compaction Grouting in Sandy Soils.

Slab Jacking with Polyurethane Foam – How Strong is Strong Enough?

This is one of our earlier posts and it still proves to be immensely popular. It's not hard to figure why so many people look into an article on this particular subject. One of the first questions to come to mind for anyone new to this "foam" technology is - will it hold up? The answer, of course, is a resounding YES! In this post I explain why that is the case. If you're interested in the strengths of our various lifting foams, how they hold up compared to clay and bedrock, and what types of jobs you can do with them - you need to read Slab Jacking with Polyurethane Foam – How Strong is Strong Enough?

Stop Erosion Through Your Seawall with Polyurethane

This post lays out the causes of seawall erosion, the costs of replacement, and the case for repair with polyurethane resin. More and more people are repairing seawalls with our environmentally safe polymers. We have a great deal of literature and information regarding this process if you're interested. In the meantime, for a basic overview, check out Stop Erosion Through Your Seawall with Polyurethane.

Permeation vs. Compaction Grouting in Sandy Soils

This article compares two different types of soil stabilization techniques for sandy soils: permeation grouting and compaction grouting (aka fracture grouting). Permeation grouting is done using a one component, low viscosity resin that slowly soaks into the soils with minimal disruption. Compaction/fracture grouting is done using a plural component, high viscosity resin that pushes the soil together in a more forceful manner. For more on this subject, read Permeation vs. Compaction Grouting in Sandy Soils.

Want more in-depth info on slab jacking, seawall repair and soil stabilization?