When an old brick retaining wall in downtown Greenville collapsed and crushed three cars, Wurster Engineering and Construction was called in to stabilize the embankment and install a new wall system. Based out of Greenville, SC, Wurster is a geotechnical engineering and construction firm that specializes in soil and embankment stabilization. The project would require removal of the remaining brick wall, soil nailing the embankment, installing a shotcrete wall, and then tying in a new brick wall to the stabilized embankment.

However, one problem remained. There was one area where there was a portion of the brick wall that needed removal, but the temporary concrete retaining wall to protect the property had been poured on a bed of gravel that was being held in place by the remaining brick. The gravel under the temporary wall footing was contained by the remaining brick, which when removed would cause all of the gravel to run out. This section was about 30-35’ long, 2’ high, and 4-5’ deep from the face of the wall to the back.

Powerful Polymer

In order to solve this issue, Wurster Engineering and Construction selected AP Fill 720 to permeate the gravel and hold it in place while the brick was removed. This polyurethane resin was the ideal choice because of its ability to thoroughly permeate the gravel, lock it all together, and then cure to a high compressive strength. With the gravel locked in place, Wurster Engineering and Construction was able to install supplemental support jacks under the temporary retaining wall. After the jacks were in place, they were able to install the soil nails followed by the shotcrete.

Painless Procedure

Approximately 50 gallons of AP Fill 720 were used to build this solidified wall of gravel behind the remaining brick wall. Injection probes were spaced 18” apart to ensure proper permeation and coverage needed to create one solid mass. The crew came in at a steep 20 to 30-degree angle behind the brick and put in about 2 gallons of polyurethane per probe, with 5% catalyst mixed in. The crew then installed more probes at a shallow 60-degree angle in the areas that needed further permeation and coverage. These extra placements of approximately 2 gallons per probe were essential to keeping the gravel in place from side to side and front to back. This entire process took one day to complete with a small crew of three people.

Rapid Result

The day after grouting, the site work demolition subcontractor chiseled off the remaining brick from the solidified AP Fill 720 gravel wall - and the project was determined to be a complete success. The entire job was finished quickly with minimal mobilization costs. We appreciate our friends at Wurster Engineering and Construction for trusting Alchemy-Spetec’s material and consultation for geotechnical projects such as this one.

Want more information about soil stabilization?

On October 26th - 28th, Contractors across North America traveled to Alchemy-Spetec HQ in Tucker, GA for a thorough education in Slab Lifting, Soil Stabilization, the Deep Lift® process, equipment, and applications. They received hands-on training from a technical staff with decades of on-the-job experience.

This three-day geotech bootcamp featured presentations and demos on the following subjects:

• Geotech Product Line Overview
• Geotech Applications & Case Studies
• PolyBadger® Demo & Training
• Estimating & Quoting Jobs
• PMC Pump Demo & Training
• Leak Seal Issues on Geotech Jobs
• Ground Penetrating Radar Demo & Training
• Slab Lift Rig Demo & Training
• Competing Geotech Techniques
• PolyShark® / Soil Stabilization Demo & Training (On-Site)
• Deep Lift® Demo & Training (On-Site)

All of us here at Alchemy-Spetec would like to thank everyone who participated! and extend an invitation to those who missed this event to sign up below for notifications on future training programs.

It's that time of year again. As temperatures drop, take a moment to review this previously posted article packed with cold-weather tips.

In this blog post, we will share some tips for stabilizing soil in cold weather. The two main points to remember are – make sure the ground isn’t frozen and condition your material and equipment properly.

Do Not Attempt Soil Stabilization Work When the Ground is Frozen

If you’re considering soil stabilization in cold weather, the first step is to make sure that the water table isn’t frozen. Iced earth is not permeable enough for proper mixing of resin and soil. If you attempt to proceed with frozen soil, you’ll just be wasting your material. Best to wait it out in that case.

Properly Condition Equipment and Materials

For optimal results, it’s best to store any materials and equipment that are to be used in a heated environment overnight. It’s best to keep your AP Soil 600 above 60 degrees at all times. This is key because cold material reacts slower and gets thicker. The methods you use to condition your material on the job site will depend on the type of vehicle you’re using.

In Slab Lifting in Cold Weather, we described in detail how to condition materials for cold weather if you’re using a rig…

If you have an insulated rig, it should stay around 40 degrees warmer than outside temperatures. Most foam rigs have built-in electric heaters that require an extension cord to a power outlet at the job site or at your facility for overnight storage. Alternately, you could buy an electric radiator heater. Other available heating devices include drum band heaters and heated drum mats (be careful not to scorch the polymers by turning band heaters up too high). For a more DIY approach, you could build a hot box around the material storage area in your rig.

If you’re using pails and a smaller vehicle, we offered tips for that set up in my Polyurethane Leak Seal in Cold Weather article…

Use an enclosed vehicle, like a box truck, enclosed trailer, or pickup truck with a camper top or bed cover. Keep as much material and equipment inside the vehicle as possible when working. Use a portable heater to maintain a warm temperature. You can also use electric pail heaters to keep your resin ready for action.

Using a combination of the methods described above, you should be able to keep your materials warm enough. In extreme cases when the material gets a bit too cold and thick, you may want to use AP Cat 600 to speed up the reaction time.

Conclusion

As long as the ground isn’t frozen, you should be able to stabilize soil in cold weather.  Just make sure your materials and equipment are conditioned properly.  If you have any further questions, please contact us at 404-618-0438.

Want in-depth info on soil stabilization products?

The warehouse slab/floor repair market can be a goldmine for contractors. Most major metro areas contain endless square miles of warehouse space. That's why we've posted a good number of warehouse floor and slab repair articles on this blog over the years. In this post, we'll introduce and link to the best Alchemy-Spetec warehouse slab repair articles.

Warehouse and Industrial Slab Repair With Polyurethane

One of the hidden dangers a warehouse or industrial property owner and their employees can face is an unstable or sunken slab with a large void underneath.  The last thing anyone wants is injury and/or a lawsuit resulting from an un-repaired trip hazard or worse - a complete slab collapse. The video in the Read More link below depicts a real-time example of a warehouse slab with cavernous voids below and heavy equipment resting on top.  Next, you'll see the slab repair process in action as the voids are filled and the slabs are restored to a safe, stable state with AP Lift foams that support between 7,200 - 14,000 pounds per square foot (depending on the product selected). Click to Watch the Video and Read More.

Repair Unlevel Warehouse Slabs with AP Lift 475

Voids beneath warehouse floors can be filled with AP Lift 475 foam. This product is great for slabs that rock and warehouse floors that have begun to sink. The video in the Read More link below shows an example of the product in action. Inside this warehouse, the floors have begun to rock and are unleveled - which can speed up the wear and tear on valuable equipment. With this powerful polymer and its painless application procedures, unlevel slabs can be repaired at a rapid pace. Take a look for yourself! Click to Watch the Video and Read More.

Repairing Dangerous Sunken Slabs in Warehouses and Factories

Safety is the number one priority for factory and warehouse managers across the country.  Emphasis is most often placed on training employees to wear the right personal protective equipment and observe safety procedures when operating machinery - and rightly so!  In addition, it's also important for management to consider the state of the concrete slab floors. Click to Read More.

Case Study: Waterproofing Warehouse Slabs

In this case study, Charlie "The Grout Geek" Lerman shares a story about waterproofing warehouse slabs. There was a distribution center in North Carolina sitting on land that had a high water table. Eventually, the slabs in this 100,000 square foot building began to accumulate moisture. There were offices next to the warehouse area. The moisture that was seeping through the concrete slabs was first noticed as the carpet in the office area began to get damp. Click to Read More.

Stabilizing Slabs in an Omaha Warehouse with the PolyBadger

Not too long ago, Alchemy-Spetec customer Sudbeck Construction was called in by the property owner because he had noticed four slabs that were shifting up and scraping against a wall when forklifts crossed them. The crew drilled a couple of preliminary holes in the slabs for diagnostic purposes and discovered voids underneath ranging from 12-18 inches in depth. The Sudbeck team injected 35 gallons of AP Lift 430 beneath the slabs to stabilize them. This high-strength polyurethane foam provides a solid, reliable, long-lasting base underneath the concrete to prevent future shifting or sinking. Click to Read More.

Want more information on warehouse floor and slab repair?

This post is part of the Alchemy-Spetec Contractor Lens series, featuring views, news & case studies written by our customers. This article, written by Brian Dalinghaus of Dalinghaus Construction, is an overview of warehouse floor repair with polyurethane foam. If you're an Alchemy-Spetec customer and you'd like to discuss writing content for our blog, please send an email to marketing@alchemy-spetec.com today!

You hide it well, but we know the truth – you’re obsessed with warehouse floors.

You eat, sleep, and breathe warehouse life: the melodic beeping of the forklift, the acrid welding haze that tastes like metal, and the unmitigated triple-digit heat because air-conditioning is for wussies. And don’t forget about your well-adjusted mechanic who swears so fluently it sounds like poetry while they blast AC/DC out of a busted ‘98 JVC stereo.

Welcome to #warehouselife.

Ok, so really, most people don’t give warehouse floors much thought. On occasion, you may have to sweep or mop, but that’s about the average extension of warehouse floor TLC. However, your forklift operators and warehouse crew may begrudge your lack of warehouse floor maintenance. Warehouse floors that are uneven, cracked, or sinking can create tripping hazards and other OSHA concerns.

Busted warehouse floors directly translate into a less efficient workspace, creating bumpy forklift track that can result in trouble moving loads around the sunken concrete. The truth is: if you take care of your warehouse floor, it will take care of you.

Causes Of Warehouse Floor Problems

There are several causes that may make repairs to the concrete warehouse floor necessary.

• Incorrect Curing
• Soil Erosion
• Insufficient Soil Preparation
• Shrinking and Expanding Soil

Voids can occur underneath the warehouse floor slab. Heavy equipment, like forklifts or electric pallet jacks, can cause the slabs to tilt and shift into uneven positions. This precarious situation can cause a forklift operator to lose a heavy load or get their equipment stuck.

Uneven floors jeopardize the safety of your warehouse crew and the safety of your product. In short, it can lead to serious injury and/or damage to equipment and materials.

Solutions For Uneven Warehouse Floors

Luckily, there is a solution to uneven warehouse floors. It’s imperative to protect your employees, equipment, and inventory by making sure the warehouse floors are even and stable.

Here at Dalinghaus Construction, Inc., we utilize Alchemy-Spectec or slab leveling to ensure that concrete slabs are level, secure, and strong.

During the Alchemy-Spectec process, polyurethane foam is injected through small holes underneath the slabs. The foam expands, filling the void under the slab and simultaneously lifting the slab back into place.

The polyurethane installation process allows us to move the slab within a tenth of an inch of the desired height. That is truly remarkable precision. The polyurethane foam is waterproof, environmentally inert, and won’t wash away.

• Repair Cracked Concrete Slabs
• Repair Settling/Sinking Concrete Slabs
• Repair Settling/Sinking Foundations
• Repair Void Fill
• Permeate and Densify Soil

Polyurethane cures quickly, solidifying up to 90% full strength in only 15 minutes. The polyurethane foam seals at the bottom of the warehouse floor slab, closing off any crack that may exist in the concrete.

If needed, a joint fill material is utilized to help prevent any serious gaps between slabs.

Once the warehouse floor has been leveled, this allows heavy equipment to run smoothly over the joints, considerably lessening the damage to wheels or edges of the concrete. These gaps allow the slabs to expand and contract without cracking or moving out of place.

The great news is the Alchemy-Spectec process does not need a lot of heavy, specialized equipment – meaning you won’t have to make a lot of room for us to work. Also, as mentioned above, polyurethane foam only takes 15 minutes to cure to 90%.

This directly translates into getting back to work ASAP. The Alchemy-Spectec process is less expensive and time-consuming than tearing up and replacing a concrete slab and will take care of any underlying problems that were causing the concrete to sink.

Make Your Warehouse Safer with Dalinghaus

The safety and efficiency of your employees (along with keeping your equipment and product in good shape) are invaluable. Dalinghaus Construction Inc. is here to help you by making sure your warehouse floors are strong, stable, and straight.

Our concrete lifting process provides long-lasting results, ensuring your warehouse floor is level and safe. With over 100 years of combined experience and 4.9 stars out of 299 reviews – we are here to ensure that you never settle.

If you live in SoCal or Arizona and would like a FREE foundation inspection, click the link below –

Want more information on warehouse floor repair?

SOLD OUT!

Alchemy-Spetec HQ in Tucker, GA
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, October 12th

$695 Registration Fee
$615 for each additional participant from
the same company.

Get ready for a thorough education in Slab Lifting, Soil Stabilization, the Alchemy-Spetec Deep Lift® process, equipment, and applications. You’ll get hands-on training from a technical staff with decades of on-the-job experience.

Tuesday, October 26th

• Geotech Product Line Overview
• Geotech Applications & Case Studies
• PolyBadger® Demo & Training
• Estimating & Quoting Jobs

Wednesday, October 27th

• PMC Pump Demo & Training
• Leak Seal Issues on Geotech Jobs
• Ground Penetrating Radar Demo & Training
• Slab Lift Rig Demo & Training
• Competing Geotech Techniques

Thursday, October 28th

• PolyShark® / Soil Stabilization Demo & Training (On-Site)
• Deep Lift® Demo & Training (On-Site)

Your Instructors:

Andy Powell (Southeastern Regional Manager), Erik Prinzing (Midwest Regional Manager), Colt Hullander (Director of Technical Services - Geotech), Patrick Zito (Eastern Regional Manager), Joel Bryant (Western Regional Manager).

SOLD OUT!

Alchemy-Spetec HQ in Tucker, GA
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, October 12th

$695 Registration Fee
$615 for each additional participant from
the same company.

Get ready for a thorough education in Slab Lifting, Soil Stabilization, the Alchemy-Spetec Deep Lift® process, equipment, and applications. You’ll get hands-on training from a technical staff with decades of on-the-job experience.

Tuesday, October 26th

• Geotech Product Line Overview
• Geotech Applications & Case Studies
• PolyBadger® Demo & Training
• Estimating & Quoting Jobs

Wednesday, October 27th

• PMC Pump Demo & Training
• Leak Seal Issues on Geotech Jobs
• Ground Penetrating Radar Demo & Training
• Slab Lift Rig Demo & Training
• Competing Geotech Techniques

Thursday, October 28th

• PolyShark® / Soil Stabilization Demo & Training (On-Site)
• Deep Lift® Demo & Training (On-Site)

Your Instructors:

Andy Powell (Southeastern Regional Manager), Erik Prinzing (Midwest Regional Manager), Colt Hullander (Director of Technical Services - Geotech), Patrick Zito (Eastern Regional Manager), Joel Bryant (Western Regional Manager).

It's not an exaggeration to say that that the PolyShark® soil stabilization and seawall repair pump system is unmatched in the marketplace. What makes it so unique?

A Geotech Pump System Like No Other

The PolyShark® system includes injection hoses, suction lines, flow meters, a custom solid steel frame, a skid-mounted setup, and top-of-the-line components. It is a complete turnkey unit, ready to go upon arrival. Let's take a closer look...

• Two 350 feet injection hose reels are included, allowing an exceptional amount of additional reach for limited access and/or remote location jobs.
• Suction lines make it easy to pump material from totes, drums, or even pails if needed. This type of flexibility is not common to all geotech pumps.
• Flow meters make it easy to accurately track the amount of material pumped.
• The custom solid steel frame, polyurea coated for excellent chemical resistance, is built to last and weather all types of environments.
• The skid-mounted setup keeps all system components together, allowing for easy transfer from truck to trailer to the ground on a job site if necessary.
• The Honda gas motor, Titan hydraulic pump, and Titan hydraulic fluid ram are top-of-the-line, tried, and true components. This means less maintenance and downtime when compared to competing systems.

Want more information on the PolyShark®?

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.

The Causes of Unstable Soil

Erosion
Poor drainage, improperly placed downspouts, leaking drain pipes, and broken water lines are common culprits.

Poor Compaction
When backfilling on a job site, the contractor is supposed to compact the backfill by driving over it with heavy equipment. However, this isn’t always done properly for one reason or another.

Freeze/Thaw
Processes of freezing and thawing essentially accelerate erosion processes. Cold weather freezes moisture trapped in tiny cracks. When this water freezes, it expands, subsequently pushing on the rocks and breaking them into smaller pieces. As processes of freezing and thawing continue, rock and sediment are continually broken down.

Biological Decay
Construction trash pits, buried trees, and other biodegradable materials all break down. Sometimes structures are built over these areas.

Stabilize Soil with Polyurethane

Loose soil can be consolidated, voids can be filled, and water migration halted by permeating the soil with one of the AP series products of ultra-low viscosity polyurethane resins. Once the bearing capacity of the soil has been increased with this process, then the structure can be lifted if necessary.  Learn more about Soil Stabilization Products here.

Want more information on polyurethane soil stabilization?

A general contracting company working on an excavation job for a new sea turtle habitat at Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, Florida needed specialists to protect the foundation of the adjacent building from potential destabilization. Underground Services of America was called in to create a polyurethane grout wall for this very purpose.

Powerful Polymer

The crew used AP Soil 600, a single component, moisture activated, hydrophobic, extra-low viscosity, polyurethane soil grout. This is the premier product for stabilizing soil via permeation grouting. It's also NSF-approved for contact with drinking water. Using an environmentally safe repair material in a marine habitat is extremely important.

Painless Procedure

Underground Services of America professionals drove injection rods into the ground next to the building foundation in a staggered pattern (see photo). The rods were 18 inches apart from each other to ensure consistent, thorough permeation of the soil with the high-strength grout. They injected at a rate of one gallon per foot. A total of 500 gallons was used to form the grout wall. The project was completed in just two days.

Rapid Result

The resin was cured within 24 hours of completion. The job was finished on a Friday. On the following Monday, the GC began excavation on the future sea turtle habitat without any fear of damaging the adjacent foundation.

Want more information on soil stabilization products and procedures?