CASE STUDY

Drive Lane Lift & Stabilization at Shipping Facility

Summary

  • Shipping facility in Victoria, Texas.
  • Washout caused settlement and instability at multiple drive lane panels.
  • The slabs were lifted and stabilized with high-density polymer and the drive lanes were immediately operational.

Problem

Multiple drive lane panels at a shipping facility had either settled or would flex significantly as delivery vehicles would come and go throughout the day. These problems were caused by water draining through the panel’s deteriorated expansion joints. Nearby downspouts worsened things by regularly dumping rainwater into the joints. The water had washed out a significant amount of base soil. Approximately 2,300sqft of concrete was identified as having settled or experiencing instability by a URETEK project manager.

Settlement

Solution

The facility had two entry/exit gates used by delivery vehicles and both were located near affected panels. Replacing the panels would mean weeks of rerouting delivery vehicles and reduced production. The best solution was URETEK Method (UM) for correcting the concrete and getting the drive lanes back in operation. UM is a process for injecting high-density polymer (HDP) under concrete. HDP is an expanding light-weight material capable of filling voids, stabilizing soil, and lifting concrete.

Results

URETEK Technicians were able to return the panels back to their original elevation and fill void space under the panels for stabilization. The worksite was staged in a way that kept downtime to a minimum and allowed for delivery vehicles to enter and exit the facility. Work was completed over the course of hours and the facility was able to continue operation the entire time. Unsealed expansion joints allow water to infiltrate and washout soil. Concrete can settle because of voids created by soil washout.