Alchatek Blog

On top of a hill northeast of Chattanooga, Tennessee sits a clearwell that belongs to Eastside Utilities. Built in the 1940’s on a former Army post, this clearwell consists of twin 2-million gallon tanks used for treating surface water to turn it into drinking water. The problem was that less than half of the water coming into the clearwells was making it out the other side. Although this water treatment plant has undergone several upgrades in its 70+ year lifespan, the ground beneath it has been subject to settling and consolidation. The tanks had shifted slightly and in doing so, loosened some of the joints and the water stops contained within. Measurements indicated that the clearwells were losing 1,700 gallons per minute through various leaks; well over 2-million gallons per day. A short drive downhill from the property revealed various gullies and small creeks created by water running down the hillside.

Powerful Polymer

An Alchemy-Spetec certified installer was called in to utilize Spetec PUR GT500, an NSF /ANSI 61 approved product for contact with drinking water, to seal the leaks.  This single component polyurethane resin is designed to penetrate and seal off leaks in cracks, joints, and pipe penetrations.  As a hydrophilic polyurethane, it chases down water and gets into the microstructure of the concrete, forming a flexible seal and a tenacious bond with the wet concrete.

Painless Procedure

Due to the amount of water escaping, all of the joints around the perimeter walls were suspect as well as the roof support columns throughout each clearwell that penetrated through the floor.  The contractor drilled holes to intersect the leaking joints around the perimeter of the clearwell and along all interior joints.  Injection ports were installed and Spetec PUR GT500 was pumped into each one to create an injected membrane within the joints and beneath the clearwell.

Rapid Result

After three days of injection the work was done and the site was cleaned up.  Monitoring after the Spetec PUR GT500 was installed indicated that the leak had been reduced from 1,700 gallons per minute to 10 gallons per minute.  The small number of remaining leaks were attributed to the many vintage valves and fittings that are still present at the plant.

Want in-depth info on polyurethane leak seal injection?

See first-hand how chemical grouts react and set up when mixed at our Live Mixing Station at World of Concrete 2019! 

Drop by to see us at Booth # O40551 in the Silver Lots (same location we were in last year). 

There will be a LOT to see and do at our booth this year: 

• See the Polybadger Lifting System in action. 
• Learn about preventative waterstop products. 
• View leak seal and curtain grouting displays. 
• Get in-depth instruction on using and cleaning the MixMaster Pro slab lifting gun. 
• Learn about the Deep Lift process. 
• Tour a fully stocked slab lifting rig.

Want to schedule a one-on-one consultation with a rep at World of Concrete?

Leaking concrete structures can be permanently repaired with concrete crack injection by using a water activated flexible foam. Pressure injection of these liquid polyurethane resins forces the material into leaking cracks, joints, and other defects. After the polyurethane crack injection is complete, the polyurethane resin rapidly reacts with water to form a flexible, watertight seal.

Curtain wall grouting is a leak seal method that is often required when cracks cannot be identified, when walls are made of material that does not respond well to crack injection (such as masonry, stone and CMU), and when previous leak seal methods have failed. Curtain wall grouting is the process of injecting water reactive resin behind the leaking wall in a widespread grid pattern. The water on the other side mixes with the grout and cures to a solid mass covering the surface of the wall on the other side.

See crack injection and curtain wall grouting displays at World of Concrete 2019!  Drop by to see us at Booth # O40551 in the Silver Lots (same location we were in last year). 

There will be a LOT to see and do at our booth this year: 

• See the Polybadger Lifting System in action. 
• Learn about preventative waterstop products. 
• Get in-depth instruction on using and cleaning the MixMaster Pro slab lifting gun. 
• Mix foam samples at our live mixing station. 
• Learn about the Deep Lift process. 
• Tour a fully stocked slab lifting rig.

Want to schedule a one-on-one consultation with a rep at World of Concrete?

Want more information on our Leak Seal products?

This video demonstrates how concrete crack injection works for leak seal problems. Leaking concrete structures can be permanently repaired using a water activated flexible polymer. Pressure injection of these liquid resins forces the material into leaking cracks, joints, and other defects. The resin rapidly reacts with the moisture to form a flexible, watertight seal. From hairline cracks to gushing leaks, virtually any defect can be corrected with our leak seal resins, optimized for stopping water flow.   

In this case the concrete wall in the basement of an apartment complex was leaking water, slowly flooding the area at the base of the structure. Needless to say, these types of situations can eventually present a fairly serious issue for property owners. Fortunately, they can attack the problem head on by hiring a contractor skilled in the application of Spetec PUR GT500 (formerly known as AP Seal 500).

Spetec PUR GT500 is a single component, low viscosity, flexible hydrophilic polyurethane injection resin. This grout is a proven industrial concrete crack sealant. A powerful polyurethane resin that is optimal for sealing hairline cracks, pipe penetrations, joints and larger defects in concrete structures.

Want in-depth info on leak seal procedures and products?

How Polyurethane Grout Injection Works for Stormwater Infiltration Prevention

During a period of heavy flooding, stormwater systems become more susceptible to erosion and the infiltration of polluted water. For municipalities, infiltration of polluted stormwater means costly treatment of water and infrastructure repairs to damaged pipes.

The Stormwater Infiltration Issue

• Ground water rising and falling puts hydrostatic pressure on pipe and manhole joints causing them to fail.
• Water flowing in and around catch basins and roadways causes soil to erode.
• Water flowing into failed joints erodes soil from around the infrastructure causing potholes, cave-ins, and loss of structural integrity of the storm water system. Pipes can become misaligned causing much more expansive problems. 

The Solution: Polyurethane Grout Injection

• Point grouting is a method of driving injection pipes to the points of failure and injecting a resin such as Spetec PUR H200.
• The resin expands and cures quickly to seal off the leaks and fill voids in the soil.

The Favorable Outcome

• Sealing the joints prevents further soil erosion.
• Filling the voids with a resin like Spetec PUR H200 reduces the hydrostatic pressure on the joints.
• The resin also permeates the soil and increases the load bearing capacity which can prevent future misalignment of the pipes.

 Want in-depth info on leak seal procedures and products?

Alchemy-Spetec is already known for providing the most powerful polymers and painless procedures contractors need to achieve the rapid results their projects demand.

However, on construction projects of almost any scope and size, ensuring the safety of public drinking water is also mission-critical. That's why the following Alchemy-Spetec' polyurethane resin products have received the official NSF seal of approval for contact with drinking water: 

AP Lift 430

AP Lift 475

AP Soil 600

AP Fill 700

Spetec PUR H100

Spetec PUR H200

Spetec PUR F400

Spetec PUR GT500

Spetec PUR HighFoamer

Spetec AG200

This single designation ensures compliance with the Safe Water Drinking Act (SDWA) and guarantees peace of mind for in-the-field stakeholders on construction projects of almost any scope and size.

The SDWA helps ensure the water we drink, bathe in, cook with, and use in myriad other ways in daily life is safe for consumption. The federal law was put in place to maintain public health standards for drinking water systems. It defines what is considered a contaminant – both man-made and naturally occurring; and outlines the agencies responsible for regulating, monitoring, and enforcing adherence to the law, primarily the Environmental Protection Agency.

The SDWA gives the EPA latitude to impose criminal and civil penalties on industries not in compliance. In 2014 enforcement efforts policing clean water netted $163 million in penalties and fines, 155 combined years of incarceration for sentenced defendants, and $16 million in court-ordered project clean-ups.

Because so many of those defined contaminants are pertinent to even the most basic construction projects – turbidity from soil runoff, leaching from PVC pipes, potentially harmful and corrosive chemicals, and more – understanding and adhering to the law is particularly important for industry stakeholders. Contractors and engineers must be able to confidently choose vendors whose products and services won’t become the source or cause of drinking water contamination either in the short or long-term. NSF certification offers assurance that such problems won’t occur or will, at a minimum, be addressed.

“NSF, an independent, private, not-for-profit, third-party certification organization founded in 1944, has developed numerous health-based certification programs and consensus standards including those that relate to drinking water,” reads an NSF compliance brief. “The purpose of its certification program is to promote public health and enrich the quality of life. Through its Council of Public Health and Health Advisory Board, which includes EPA health professionals, it obtains guidance in developing and maintaining programs and standards. NSF also partners with code councils to ensure ongoing compliance.”

The products Alchemy-Spetec offers that can help net the most reliable and cost-effective results for contractors. NSF-certified products and materials are evaluated and lab-tested, and production facilities such as our own are inspected and annually audited for re-testing to maintain certification.

Alchemy-Spetec voluntarily undergoing such a rigorous certification process is invaluable to customers because it provides assurance that, at the end of the day, our arsenal of products are not only the top-performers in the market, but also protectors of the environment.  Powerful polymers, painless procedures, rapid results!

Want in-depth info on Alchemy-Spetec products?

Concrete restoration and waterproofing contractors see so many different kinds of leaks out in the field that categorizing them into basic groups is not an easy task.  However, that’s what we’re going to try and do.  The reason for this is to demonstrate how just two products in your arsenal can accomplish 90% of leak sealing tasks.

Alchemy-Spetec manufactures a range of polyurethane resins for Sealing Leaks, Stabilizing Soil, and Lifting Slabs.  Today we’ll focus on Spetec PUR GT500 and Spetec PUR H200 to demonstrate the versatility and scope of leak sealing that can be accomplished with these two products.  To be clear, the leaks we are addressing today are leaks through concrete, below grade structures, and through the soil.

Leaks through concrete are generally going to be through cracks, joints, and honeycomb (areas in poured concrete of mainly course aggregate with voids in between).  Depending on water volume and pressure, and the size of the joint or crack, you are going to encounter weeping leaks, steady leaks, and gushing leaks.  And of course there are also the “sometimes it leaks” types of situations.  All of these can be stopped permanently with Spetec PUR GT500, Spetec PUR H200, or a combination of both.

Spetec PUR GT500

This flexible hydrophilic injection resin is very low in viscosity and is excellent for injecting into hairline cracks and standard cracks and joints up to 3/8” wide.  It bonds aggressively to concrete and handles any movement within the crack because of its flexibility.  Spetec PUR GT500 is a single component resin designed to penetrate deep into the cracks, react with the water, and seal the leaks.  Its reaction time is slowed down somewhat in order to allow it to migrate throughout the crack.  On larger cracks which are actively leaking, a little oakum or backer rod can be wedged into the crack to prevent the resin from running out before it sets up.

Spetec PUR H200

Because the rapid expansive properties of this semi-rigid hydrophobic resin make it great for filling voids, it’s also excellent for shutting down strong and gushing leaks up to thousands of gallons per minute.  The low viscosity of this product allows it to be injected into hairline and smaller cracks as well, but it is mainly used for stopping the big ones.  Use Spetec PUR H200 with an accelerator to adjust the set time according the conditions of the leak. 

Spetec PUR H200 is also an excellent product for the process known as “curtain grouting”.  For instance, earthen dams and ponds often have water migrating through the soil creating voids, water loss, and potential failure.  Grouting into the soil in a grid pattern can seal off this water migration.  The resin expands into the ground and penetrates through the fines, and then bonds well with the surrounding earth.

Spetec PUR GT500 & Spetec PUR H200

Sometimes a leak requires a combination of both products.  Here is an example from an actual job:

There was a below grade utility vault that housed valves for two sewer force mains.  There were 24” and 18” ductile iron pipes penetrating the vault to connect to the valves.  Around the pipe penetrations, a previous contractor had used clay and mortar to try and seal it, but the water table was about 10’ above the penetrations and it had blown out the seals.  The entire vault (14’L x 12’W x 20’H) would fill up with water within a few hours.

Once again, these basic products were all that was needed to stop the leak.  The new contractor punched holes into the side of the vault near the pipe penetrations and installed injection ports.  Spetec PUR H200 with the standard catalyst was pumped through the ports and the hydrostatic pressure of the water forced the reacting resin back through the pipe penetrations slowing the leak and then quickly sealing it off.  Because there is some vibration in a pipe, Spetec PUR GT500 was then injected in a circle around the penetration creating a flexible seal and shutting down any trickles.  In this case the water table was so high that as the polyurethane expanded and reacted with the water, it literally travelled up the exterior of the vault and came in through some unseen cracks and poorly sealed joints, sealing those issues off as well.

It's is easy to go into a product catalog and become overwhelmed by the array of choices.  But don’t over think it!  Two products, or a combination of both, may be all you need to get the job done. 

Want in-depth info on leak seal procedures and products?

Alchemy-Spetec products will now officially be promoted under the Leak Seal and Geotech lines.  As holds true with most mergers (Alchemy Polymers and Spetec formed Alchemy-Spetec in 2017), the integration of products and services can take time.  This rebrand will be reflected in two separate product catalogs.  One for Leak Seal products and one for Geotech products. We are confident that the two-catalog offering is the best solution for our partners and customers. 

Both product types are now easily discernible by the Spetec or AP nomenclature in which Spetec represents Leak Seal, and AP represents Geotech. 

The Geotech line encompasses all two-part rigid polyurethanes used for void filling, slab lifting, permeation grouting, and soil stabilization; as well as acrylic grout used for permeation grouting, and all associated pumping equipment and accessories. Due to the technical support requirements of geotechnical applications in terms of equipment use, accessory setup, and application technique, this line will remain a direct sale to contractors performing slab lifting and soil modification applications.  

Conversely, the Leak Seal line remains a distributor sale through our continued support of distribution partners.  The Leak Seal line encompasses all water-activated grouts, acrylic grouts, waterstop products, mechanical packers and ports, and all associated dispensing equipment.   Since structural repair products are also sold through distribution, they are included in the Leak Seal catalog.

If you have any questions about the Alchemy-Spetec Leak Seal or Geotech product lines, please contact Jim Spiegel at jspiegel@alchemy-spetec.com for further assistance. 

Want more info on Alchemy-Spetec Leak Seal products?

Want more info on Alchemy-Spetec Geotech products?

As we move toward a more clear definition of the Spetec and AP product lines representing our Leak Seal and Geotech product lines respectively, we're making a couple of product branding adjustments effective this week (or as soon as current stock is depleted).

AP Seal 500 will be rebranded as Spetec PUR GT500.  We are also introducing a water-activated semi-rigid polyurethane foam injection resin to the leak seal line which will be known as Spetec PUR H200.  Both of these products feature NSF/ANSI 61-5 approval for contact with drinking water. 

Spetec PUR GT500 is the exact same AP Seal 500 product you know and love, but rebranded to fit in with the Spetec leak seal product line.  This single component, low viscosity, flexible hydrophilic polyurethane injection resin is optimal for sealing hairline cracks, pipe penetrations, and joints in concrete structures.

Spetec PUR H200 is a single component, water activated, hydrophobic, low viscosity, closed cell polyurethane injection resin. Because it expands twice as much and (with the right catalyst) sets up 2.5 times as fast as the Spetec PUR H100, it's an ideal leak seal solution for quickly cutting off high-flow, underground leaks.

Want more information on polyurethane leak seal products and applications?

A few years ago, we were asked to do a product demonstration for the Utilities division of Orange County, FL (which includes Orlando). Truthfully, I have dealt with Orange County since the mid 1990’s. They have a crew that does infiltration grouting among other things.

We were supposed to demonstrate our product on a fairly slow leak in a manhole. Not by design, but this was the leak they were scheduled to fix in the time frame we had scheduled the demo. Originally, they asked me to bring 5 pails of AP Fill 700. I also brought both our slow and our fast catalyst.

When I showed up in the morning, they told me they found a different leak which was a gusher. They asked if I had about 10 pails. I told them I only brought five. They said, “we’ll try your stuff first, then we'll finish up the leak with the current product we are using.”

We showed up to the jobsite and Tom, who has been doing leak seal for many years, said basically the same thing. “That’s all you brought?” Tom was quite a skeptic - at first.

They popped the lid off of the manhole and revealed a gusher at the bottom – about 12 feet down from the roadway and leaking probably 15 gallons a minute. The county performs what is called “Point Grouting”, which is a process where a pipe is driven from the surface down to the area near the leak. Polyurethane grout is pumped through the pipe to fill up the void and seal the leak. Tom expected to use between five and ten pails of grout.

We catalyzed the resin with a maximum dose of our fast catalyst. Tom started pumping. I had my fingers crossed hoping that he had the injection pipe in the right location. He did. The foam started coming out of the defect in the bottom of the manhole within 30 seconds. By the time he had pumped half of a 5 gallon pail, the leak was completely sealed. Tom went from a skeptic to a believer in less than five minutes. “I want some more of that, boss!” he said to Paul Morrisson – Utilities Supervisor.

Paul summed it up best – “Based on our extensive prior experience, we expected to use five to ten pails to stop this leak. With AP Fill 700 we were able to do the job with 1/10th that amount of material. Alchemy-Spetec product will save our crews a lot of time and labor and save the taxpayers of Orange County a lot of money.”

Want in-depth info on leak seal procedures and products?