Alchatek Blog

Since we haven’t discussed it very much in our blog posts, you may be surprised to learn how much we have to offer on large scale and international projects. In this post I’ll share a list of recent examples to provide a sense of how we can assist in these types of situations.

New York City, New York - Metropolitan Transit Authority

AP Seal 500 leak seal resin was used to repair thousands of feet of cracks through­out new subway tunnels.

Toquepala, Peru - Southern Peru Copper Mine

On this job, we provided the crew with AP Lift 440 rigid polyurethane foam to stabilize loose soil beneath a concrete building. We also provided on-site consulting services.

Guangzhou, China - Guangzhou Highway

We provided AP Lift 475 foam and on-site consultation for soil stabilization and the lifting of a bridge approach slab.

Saskatchewan, Canada – MGM Seed and Grain

AP Lift 440 was used to level 900,000 lbs of interior sunken concrete slabs. We also provided on-site technical consulting. Later, 24” thick slabs supporting grain silos were raised and stabilized.

Tijuana, Mexico – Federal Courthouse

On this project, AP Soil 600 stabilization foam was used to shore up the foundation beneath a sinking multi-story concrete building.

Cincinnati, Ohio – Cincinnati Zoo

In the African Lion Exhibit there was a leak in the concrete moat that surrounds the enclosure. AP Seal 500 was applied to the problem areas to stop the water flow and prevent the unnecessary loss of water.

Conclusion

Regardless of the location or size of your job, we’re here to help. We have extensive experience consulting on locations all over the globe and our products are proven performers on the largest, most challenging projects.

Want more in-depth info on AP 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?

As one of the most impenetrable permeation grouting products on the market, the AP Soil 600 is a single component, moisture activated, hydrophobic, low viscosity, polyurethane soil grout. This permeation grout is ideal for stabilizing loose sand and soil around all types of concrete structures, as well as sinkhole remediation. Also see our AP Lift 475 for Compaction Grouting.

Applications

• Permeation grouting.
• Stabilizing loose sand and soil.
• Sinkhole remediation.

Advantages

• Encapsulates and strengthens loose soil.
• Very low viscosity for good soil penetration.
• Watertight.
• Adjustable set time.
• Pumped as single component.
• Phthalate free (more environmentally friendly).
• Certified To NSF 61-5 (approved for contact with drinking water).

Check out the AP Soil 600 sample demo!

Want in-depth info on soil stabilization?

Among the leading high density polyurethane foam products available, AP Lift 475 offers a powerful solution that is traffic ready in 15 minutes. This two-component, high-strength, high-density, hydro-insensitive structural polyurethane foam supports 14,000 lbs per square foot. Also see our AP Soil 600 for Permeation Grouting. 

Applications

• Lifting and filling voids under concrete slabs.
  
• Stabilizing soil.
• Compaction grouting and fracture grouting.
• Sinkhole remediation.
• Wet compaction grouting and void filling.

Advantages

• High strength.
• Low viscosity.
• Works in wet environments - displaces water.
• Bonds with soil and concrete.
• Traffic ready in 15 minutes.
• Closed cell compaction grout.
• Certified To NSF 61-5 (approved for contact with drinking water).

Check out the AP Lift 475 sample demo!

Want in-depth info on slab lifting?

We're happy to announce that Alchemy Polymers has been profiled in a feature article on SprayFoamInsider.com. This is a good match, since we get a lot of interest from spray foam professionals looking to expand their skill set into slab lifting and other forms of concrete repair. After doing a fair amount of background research, Editor Jay Davidson has written an overview of our company's mission and the solutions we offer for critical concrete infrastructure issues.

The article opens as follows...

Alchemy Polymers, LLC is comprised of combat veterans when it comes to battling the elements and saving valuable infrastructures with their polyurethane resins. Contractors can even “sign up” for “boot camp” training to learn the valuable secrets of polyurethane applications from those who have literally been in the trenches. Their winning polymer injection solutions have a highly successful track record for repairing and restoring sea walls, retaining walls, tunnels, bridges, dams, concrete slabs, highways, pipelines, railways, sink holes, homes, buildings, subways and other below ground structures.

You can read more in Jay Davidson's piece Alchemy Polymers, LLC is Winning the Battle to Restore Infrastructures.  Needless to say, we're happy to see Alchemy Polymers featured on SprayFoamInsider.com.

Want additional in-depth info on Alchemy Polymers products and procedures?

In this post we'll take a look at a couple of important, early articles we posted on soil stabilization.

The first article is an overview of the causes of unstable soil.  I wrote this post as an introduction to a multi-part series on the subject.  A thorough understanding of why soil becomes unstable is helpful for anyone looking at soil stabilization products and trying to determine which one is appropriate for a particular job.  Study this subject if you want to deepen your understanding on the subject of soil stabilization in general.

The other article is about stabilizing soil in wet environments.  Not every stabilization product is designed to work properly in wet soil.  Read this article for brief breakdown on the matter. 

The Causes of Unstable Soil: A Brief Overview

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
• Decomposition

Erosion refers to processes in which external elements (wind, water, etc.) remove soil or rock from a certain location and transport it to another location. There are a variety of different erosion types, including river and gull erosion, wind erosion, and erosion attributed to human activity. Erosion ultimately destabilizes soil and can lead to landslides and sinkholes.

Read more in the post The Causes of Unstable Soil: A Brief Overview.

Soil Grouting - Polyurethane vs. Water

Not all two component polyurethane lifting and stabilizing foams are specifically designed for wet environments.  In most situations when you are injecting polyurethane foam into the ground, there is a high probability that the environment is going to be wet.  You need to be confident that the foam will react and retain the desired properties in these wet environments.  If the foam you are using is not specifically designed for wet environments, then you may be cheating yourself and your customer out of the best possible results.

Read more in the post Soil Grouting - Polyurethane vs. Water.

Want more in-depth info on soil stabilization products and procedures?

On March 23rd 2016, Alchemy Polymers Technical Consultant Andy Powell was interviewed on the Business Radio X podcast.  Andy is an expert on all of the products and their infinite applications, with many years of infrastructure repair work and on-site consulting under his belt. 

In this excerpt, he sums up the Alchemy Polymers committment to quality...

Ultimately, the customer is the property owner, somebody who’s got a problem. Even though we’re selling to contractors, we kind of all have to be on the same page, and so we’re ultimately dealing with the property owner, and sometimes they don’t understand what they can’t see, and we’re oftentimes fixing things that you can’t see like, “What’s going on underneath my slab? I can’t believe that you’re telling me there’s a hole big enough to park a VW down under my slab and it’s going to cost this much.”

There’s got to be an element of trust. You’ve got to be able to prove what’s going on...you’ve got to be able to let them know that if they’re not going to treat this now, it’s not going to get better. The contractors that we work with, we train, and that’s the only way that we can really stand behind it because we can provide a product warranty, but if it’s not installed correctly, then it can come back and reflect on us. So we kind of all have to be on the same page, and it’s good for the industry as a whole, too, because if somebody’s polyurethane fails, it reflects on everybody.

Over the course of this 15 minute interview, Andy discusses the history of the business, the state of the industry, and the various types of infrastructure problems that can be solved with polyurethane resin. Take a moment and give it a listen. If you have any questions, give us a call afterwards at 404-618-0438. Want to hear more from Andy? Click here for a complete listing of all the Alchemy Polymers blog posts written by Andy Powell.

Want more info on polyurethane infrastructure repair?