Alchatek Blog

The northeastern region of the United States faces a wide variety of infrastructure issues, caused by unstable soil, that contractors and property owners should be aware of.  These issues include:

• Freeze/thaw cycles.
• New construction compromising soil under neighboring structures.
• Frequency of intense rainstorms, which cause flash flooding and erosion.
• On coastal areas, erosion and soil disruption are also caused by rising sea levels.

How Does Polyurethane Soil Repair Help?

• Strengthens the Soil
  Alchemy-Spetec soil stabilization foam allows contractors to strengthen soil for support of heavy structures.
• Reinforces Eroded Areas
  Polyurethane foam displaces water and cures into a solid mass to reverse the erosion process.
• Compacts the Soil
  The Deep Lift™ process compacts loose soil to create a strong substrate.
• Fills Voids
  Polyurethane foam fills voids as it expands and before it cures, making it a great solution for instances of soil consolidation or biological decay.

What Are the Results?

• Use of Surface and Surrounding Structures on Same Day as Repair
  Alchemy-Spetec soil stabilization foam cures to 90% full strength in 15 min­utes. In most cases the site is ready for traffic after clean up. 
• Support for Up to 14,000 lbs/Sq. Ft.
  The Alchemy-Spetec series of geotech foams improves soil to support structural loads up to 14,000 pounds per square foot.
• Stabilization Lasting Decades
  Alchemy-Spetec structural foams are a permanent fix.

Environmentally Safe

Alchemy-Spetec polyurethane soil stabilization polymer products have received the official NSF seal of approval for contact with drinking water (this also protects water-dwelling wildlife as well). This 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.

Want more information on polyurethane soil stabilization?

JR Crowell and Morgan Helms of Helms Polyfoam are the guests on Episode 5 of The Injection Connection. In this episode, host Jim Spiegel discusses the history of the Helms business, the future of customer support, and the importance of relationships. (Jim Spiegel is Vice President of Alchemy-Spetec and a Board Member at the International Concrete Repair Institute.)

Listen to the episode in its entirety below, or check it out on TheInjectionConnection.com and the following platforms:

• Spotify
• iTunes/Apple Podcasts
• SoundCloud
• TuneIn
• Google Podcasts
• YouTube

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec products?

I'd like to share a case study from a recent job that I consulted on with one of our contractor customers.

A two-story residential house in North Carolina was built on poorly compacted fill dirt. After about 20 years, it began showing evidence of settling. Interior cracks appeared in the sheetrock and some of the floors were no longer level (indicating that the footings were slowly sinking). These symptoms of unstable soil were caused by about 1 inch of settling. The engineer on the project determined that the problem was not severe enough to require helical piers. The contractor was called in to stop the sinking and reinforce the soil via deep soil polyurethane injection.

Powerful Polymer

Among the most dependable products for geotech applications, AP Lift 440 structural foam provides an exceptional DOT grade solution for these types of situations. This 4 lb. density, high-strength, hydro-insensitive structural polyurethane foam is perfect for densifying soil and stabilizing foundations (as well as lifting).

Painless Procedure

I worked with the contractor to draw up a plan, indicating exactly where the injection points would be located. The engineer reviewed the plan for feasibility. The contractor installed 18 injection tubes to a depth of 7 feet. 50 lbs of foam were administered through each tube, split between two different depths: 7 feet and 3.5 feet below grade. First, they injected from outside the house, installing foam beneath the exterior footings. Next, they injected from inside the house, installing foam beneath the load bearing interior walls. Spacing between injection points was approximately 5 feet.

Rapid Result

The deep soil stabilization process densified the soil and stopped the settlement. In addition, the contractors achieved a half inch lift from the exterior injections and another half inch lift from the interior injection sequence. The customer was extremely happy with the results. The engineer was impressed as well and said he would recommend this procedure in similar future scenarios.

Want more information on soil stabilization?

The MixMaster Pro slab lifting gun was designed based on years of feedback from slab lifting contractors working in the field. Every known point of frustration and difficulty has been addressed in this sturdy, single-purpose gun. Further benefits include a lower cost of consumables (you can reuse ports with this gun), beefy check valves designed to handle the back pressure, and a short 10-minutes or less breakdown/cleaning session at the end of each day.

This gun is also is a production BEAST - no leaky port connections, no fumbling with clamps. Watch your man hours on each project shrink accordingly. Did we mention you’ll have less replacement part orders? There are only a few inexpensive replacement parts on this gun - PERIOD.

Ask about the quick 10-minutes or less breakdown/cleaning session on the MixMaster Pro at our World of Concrete 2020!  Drop by to see us at our Geotech Exhibit Space - # O40551 in the Silver Lots (same location we were in last year). 

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

• See the Polybadger Lifting System in action. 
• Mix foam samples at our live mixing station. 
• Learn about the Deep Lift process. 
• Tour a fully stocked slab lifting rig.

Read more about our separate Leak Seal and Geotech exhibits for WOC 2020.

Want more information on the MixMaster Pro?

Leak Seal & Geotech Products & Procedures

March 18th & 19th, 2020 at Alchemy-Spetec HQ in Tucker, GA

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

Wednesday - Leak Seal

• Leak Seal Product Line Overview
• Curtain Grouting
• Permeation Grouting
• Leak-Seal Product Mixing
• Pump & Packer Overviews
• Leak-Seal Accessories
• Municipal Applications
• Live Injection Demos
• Open Discussions

Thursday - Geotech

• Geotech Product Line Overview
• Soil Stabilization
• Geotech Product Mixing
• Rig & Mobile System Overviews
• Geotechnical Accessories
• Slab Lifting Live Demo
• Deep Lift™ Overview
• Soil Testing with the
• GPR & Penetrometer
• Maintenance Discussions
• Pricing / Estimating / Cost Savings
• Open Discussions

Unstable Loading Dock Slabs

The soil beneath a loading dock slab needs to be stable and strong on a consistent basis.  Sinking or rocking slabs can cause injury and litigation risk that no property owner should have to deal with.  The good news is that you have a choice, even if your slabs are not sinking or rocking yet!

Loading Dock Slab Repair with Polyurethane

As the premier manufacturer of polyurethane lifting and stabilization products, we sell to slab repair contractors all over North America.  Wherever your property is located, we likely know a contractor in your area who can provide an estimate for repairing your loading dock.

Alchemy-Spetec's network of factory-trained contractors can fill voids, stabilize soil and lift sunken slabs with high-strength polyurethane foam.

If you own or manage a building with loading docks, do NOT ignore the risk of injury and litigation that stems from unsupported, unstable or sinking slabs.  We can help you find a well-trained contractor, specializing in loading dock concrete repair.

Call Alchemy-Spetec now at 404-618-0438 or...

Click below, fill out a form for a slab lift brochure & we'll contact you ASAP.

Dams Across the U.S. in Dire Need of Repair

On a cold morning last March, Kenny Angel got a frantic knock on his door. Two workers from a utility company in northern Nebraska had come with a stark warning: Get out of your house.

Just a little over a quarter-mile upstream, the 92-year-old Spencer Dam was straining to contain the swollen, ice-covered Niobrara River after an unusually intense snow and rainstorm. The workers had tried but failed to force open the dam's frozen wooden spillway gates. So, fearing the worst, they fled in their truck, stopping to warn Angel before driving away without him.

Minutes later, the dam came crashing down, unleashing a wave of water carrying ice chunks the size of cars. Angel's home was wiped away; his body was never found.

"He had about a 5-minute notice, with no prior warning the day before," Scott Angel, one of Kenny's brothers, said.

State inspectors had given the dam a "fair" rating less than a year earlier. Until it failed, it looked little different from thousands of others across the U.S. — and that could portend a problem.

A more than two-year investigation by The Associated Press has found scores of dams nationwide in even worse condition, and in equally dangerous locations. They loom over homes, businesses, highways or entire communities that could face life-threatening floods if the dams don't hold.

Excerpted from AP: At least 1,680 dams across the US pose potential risk
By David A. Lieb, Michael Casey And Michelle Minkoff

Specialty Grouting of Dams with Polyurethane

The recently released news story excerpted above is bringing major attention to the widespread problem of deteriorating dam infrastructure. In most cases, cementitious grout is used to repair dams at risk. But there are certain types of geologies that cementitious grout cannot penetrate or gets washed out of. This is where specialty grouting with polyurethane (and microfine cement) comes in. The following products can be used alongside cementitious grout for optimal results:

Spetec PUR F400
This is a is a solvent and phthalate free, water reactive, hydrophobic, closed cell, low viscosity, shrink-free, flexible, one-component polyurethane injection resin.  It can be used to seal fine cracks in dams that cementitious grout cannot reach.

Spetec AG200
This is a is a three-component, water-swelling hydrogel based on acrylic that hardens into an elastic product.  It can be used to stablize loose soil around dams.

AP Microfine 10
This is a microfine cement that penetrates very small openings such as soil pores and microscopic rock fissures in order to improve strength and reduce permeability.  It can be used in conjunction with Spetec AG200 to add strength to soil stabilization repairs around dams.

While cemententious grouting is the most common grouting method used to stop water flows and strengthen soils for dams, specialty grouting with polyurethane and/or microfine cements can be used to supplement or even replace standard centmentious grouting in areas it has troubles in.

Want more info on Alchemy-Spetec products?

Maintenance managers at schools and universities should be keenly aware of the dangers posed by sunken concrete slabs.  Campus walkway slabs can settle and create trip hazards for students and teachers.  Sunken concrete parking lot slabs can create trip hazards and damage vehicles.

Alchemy-Spetec provides high-strength polyurethane concrete leveling foam to contractors all over North America.  These highly trained professionals can spot danger areas during a routine inspection and lift concrete back into place if the slab is still intact and the conditions allow.  Given our extensive customer base, we can very likely help you find a contractor.

Wherever your campus is located, we'll do our best to connect you with a contractor in your area who can perform an inspection and provide you with a repair estimate.

Call Alchemy-Spetec now at 404-618-0438 or...

Click below, fill out a form for a slab lift brochure & we'll contact you ASAP.

Why Voids Under Your Slabs are Dangerous

If you own or manage a property with concrete slabs, you need to understand the danger posed by voids in the supporting soil. Large gaps in the soil beneath your slabs are a red-alert problem for a couple of key reasons:

• Any equipment or vehicles on your slab are at risk. We have linked to this video before, but it is very relevant here: click to view cars falling through a collapsing floor. You definitely do not want this happening in your warehouse, parking area, showroom or garage.
• People are more valuable than any vehicle or piece of equipment could ever be. Don't put your employees, tenants, customers, friends or family at risk.

Signs You Might Have a Void Under Your Slab

There are a few key indicators you should look for when trying to determine the stability of soil underneath your garage:

• Are there cracks in your slab?
• When you gently tap on your slab with a hammer, does it sound "hollow"?
• Is your slab sinking?

Filling the Void and Repairing the Slab

The good news is that filling voids with high-strength polyurethane is generally an efficient fix when you're dealing with a qualified contractor. And you can use the slab in as little as 45 minutes after the repair job is done. If you find any of these signs of distress, call Alchemy-Spetec at 404-618-0438 or fill out the form linked below for help finding a geotech contractor in your area. 

Want to schedule a consultation for assistance finding a contractor?

Alchemy-Spetec's Fall 2019 training event is officially SOLD OUT!  If you're still interested in training, we'll be conducting another event in the Spring of 2020.  Click the button below and fill out the form.  We'll keep you updated on the Spring 2020 event an all other training opportunities!

Alchemy-Spetec two-day training events typically consist of the following...

Leak Seal Day

• Leak Seal Product Line Overview
• Curtain Grouting
• Permeation Grouting
• Leak-Seal Product Mixing
• Pump & Packer Overviews
• Leak-Seal Accessories
• Municipal Applications
• Live Injection Demos
• Open Discussions

Geotech Day

• Geotech Product Line Overview
• Soil Stabilization
• Geotech Product Mixing
• Rig & Mobile System Overviews
• Geotechnical Accessories
• Slab Lifting Live Demo
• Deep Lift™ Overview
• Soil Testing with the GPR & Penetrometer
• Maintenance Discussions
• Pricing / Estimating / Cost Savings
• Open Discussions

Want to be alerted when Spring 2020 training registration is available?