Seawall Repair at Lake Oconee

GCS November 3, 2021

Recently GCS completed a seawall repair job at Lake Oconee. Our customer was experiencing soil loss behind their seawall. In the summer months, Lake Oconee has quite a bit of boat traffic. This creates an effect similar to what is experienced in tidal areas where rise and fall patterns cause water to push its way through cracks, joints, and defects in the wall. As the water flows back out, it carries soil with it, creating voids and undermining the structure. This cycle is exacerbated during periods of heavy rain. In landscaped areas, evidence of soil erosion is often quite obvious. You’ll often see small sinkholes developing near the seawall.

In this case, the property owner had two options for remedying the situation:

OPTION 1:
Excavate and reconstruct the land side of the wall. Obviously, a costly and invasive process that requires a permit.

OPTION 2:
Stabilize the land side of the wall and repair the seawall with specialized polyurethane (NSF approved for contact with drinking water).

Wisely, they chose option 2. A GCS crew injected Alchemy-Spetec’s AP Fill 720. This single component, water-reactive polyurethane resin is specifically designed for shutting off large water leaks and void filling around structures. We were able to get this project completed in six hours with no mess left behind. Our customer was thrilled and word spread quickly. We’ll be back out there soon for more work at neighboring properties. Don’t ignore the signs of soil erosion issues. Give us a call at 678-337-8374 for a free evaluation.

Soil Testing and Diagnosis Available in the Atlanta Area

GCS August 19, 2021

GCS offers Ground Penetrating Radar and Dynamic Cone Penetrometer testing in addition to our grouting services. We use Ground Penetrating Radar to create the most accurate image possible of the area beneath your valuable structures. We use the Dynamic Cone Penetrometer to measure the strength of subgrade soils and to identify weak layers of soil within a soil mass. We often run into situations where these testing methods are required to properly construct a soil grouting repair plan.

On one particular project, a CMP stormwater pipe failed, likely due to age, causing soils outside the loading dock to erode. The initial sign there was a problem was settling concrete at the surface. Sometimes that can be due simply to poor compaction. Without proper testing, the real underlying issues wouldn’t have been diagnosed and resolved.

We ended up finding areas with as much as 2 feet of sub-slab void and 30 feet of unstable soil. That’s pretty scary in any location, let alone a busy loading dock area. If you are seeing settlement signs around your property, don’t ignore the danger signs! Give us a call at 678-337-8374.

Walkway Trip Hazard Repair in Duluth, GA

GCS August 11, 2021

Commercial & Industrial Concrete Leveling

Recently GCS was called by one of our property management customers. One of their medical building complexes had several trip hazards on the walkways and main entrance. We were able to lift and level the slabs by injecting Alchemy-Spetec’s AP Lift 430.

Polyurethane Slab Lifting Procedures

The slab lifting process is completed in a few simple steps:

Complete a thorough site evaluation
Saw cut joints if necessary, to release any bound slabs
Determine an injection point sequence, based on conditions
Drill the initial injection holes, starting at the lowest point on the slab
Inject AP Lift polymers in controlled short bursts
Monitor for lift with Zip levels, dial indicator, or laser transit
Observe slab for evidence of cracking or binding while lifting
Drill and inject additional holes as necessary to level the slab

Efficient Slab Lifting Solution

The high-density expanding polyurethane foam made quick work of the concrete lifting project. We were able to eliminate all the trip hazards by lunchtime and avoided any downtime to the tenants. Call us for a free assessment of your commercial property, we’d love the opportunity to help!

Concrete Lifting and Soil Stabilization in Buckhead Village

GCS July 29, 2021

Ground Consolidation Services recently completed another round of repairs in Buckhead Village for a large real estate management company. In addition to trip hazards due to sunken slabs, a geotech report provided by an engineer revealed unstable soil up to three feet deep in some areas underneath. GCS performed compaction grouting before the slab lift in order to stabilize the soil, thus addressing the root cause of the settling. Compaction grouting entails driving injection probes on a grid pattern to the required depth. In this case, the GCS crew injected Alchemy-Spetec’s AP Lift 430 into the soil. This high-density expanding polyurethane foam fills any voids present and compacts the loose unstable soil.

Once the deep soil issues were resolved we could then inject AP Lift 430 directly underneath the slabs, gradually and precisely lifting them with the expanding foam. An efficient, surgical repair process like this beats ripping out and replacing a slab most of the time. Imagine having to remove all concrete and unstable soil, repack the subgrade, and repour new concrete. Which option do you think requires less time and money (by a lot)? We were able to hit several areas of the property over the course of 2 days with zero disturbance to the retail businesses. Trip hazards and litigation risks can be easily avoided if slab settlement issues are dealt with properly. Call us today for a free assessment!

Stabilizing an Apartment Building Foundation in Atlanta

GCS June 4, 2021

A national restoration contractor recently contacted Ground Consolidation Services regarding a plumbing repair they were working on. They had uncovered a large void under the foundation slab in an apartment building. Plumbing leaks are a common culprit when it comes to creating sub-slab voids. The void posed a threat to the stability of the foundation. Filling this void was mission-critical for the property owner because a lucrative lease for this unit loomed on the horizon. Time is money, as they say!

A GCS crew arrived on the scene right away. They filled the void with Alchemy-Spetec’s AP Lift 430, a high-density polyurethane foam. The expanding structural foam travels the path of least resistance, filling all void areas as well as compacting any loose or saturated soil. The crew finished the job and was out of there by lunchtime. The plumbing project was back on track and the lucrative lease signing was back on schedule. Another crisis averted, courtesy your friendly neighborhood GCS repair squad!

Sunken Pool Deck Slabs – Causes and Solution

GCS May 26, 2021

Causes of Sunken Pool Deck Slabs

Sunken pool deck slabs are a very common issue. Pool deck slabs are typically poured on unreliable fill dirt. In addition, it is difficult to properly compact the fill right up to the pool itself. These factors coupled with the inherent amount of water around a pool (water that gets under the slabs through cracks and unsealed joints) cause the pool deck to settle. The slabs generally settle away from the pool, which separates them from the liner – posing more unwanted issues. Then there’s the whole trip hazard risk that comes along with uneven concrete slabs. Many a broken toe, and unfortunately much worse (more serious injuries, lawsuits), have resulted from unaddressed trip hazards around a pool.

The Solution to a Sunken Pool Deck Slab

Call Ground Consolidation Services for a free site evaluation. Our high-density polyurethane is injected through the deck slabs via ⅜ inch injection holes, the smallest in the business. The expanding structural foam travels the path of least resistance, therefore, filling all void areas as well as compacting any loose unstable soil. Once the soil is compact, the expansion of the foam creates the power to lift and recover the slabs. We also have proprietary jack systems to aid in mechanically manipulating the slabs as well. This process in most cases takes a half-day to complete. The alternative is to do nothing until the pool deck is so far gone that an expensive replacement project is the only option. Who wants that costly mess on their hands?! Avoid all that and let us help!

Why Your Garage Floor Is Sinking & What To Do About It

GCS May 18, 2021

Sinking Garage Floor – Causes

As with most slab settling issues, voids and poor soil compaction are at the root of the problem. This is certainly the case with sunken garage slabs. They are typically constructed by backfilling the area after the foundation is poured (or blocked) and pouring the concrete on top. Achieving proper and adequate compaction is often difficult and just not achieved in many cases. This, combined with time and freeze/thaw cycles creates voids under the garage slab. Concrete itself is heavy and can settle, but when we park vehicles on top of a garage slab that has voids under it? It is obviously a recipe for disaster!

Sinking Garage Floor – Solution

Call GCS for a thorough site evaluation. We’ll take the time to properly inspect the issue, which generally entails probing the slab to determine if there is indeed a void and/or unstable soil (and to what extent). Gathering this type of information is key to designing a proper repair plan and calculating the material amount.

Depending on the conditions found during site evaluation, there are a couple of different techniques we use (and oftentimes both). If the soil under the garage slab is soft and unstable to a certain depth, GCS will opt for the Deep Lift® method using Alchemy-Spetec‘s high-density polyurethane. The expanding structural foam creates a squeeze effect in the loose soil, essentially forming added support footings under the slab. Our other injection method, Slab Lifting, entails going through ⅜ inch holes drilled directly through the slab. The same structural foam described above is used. The expanding foam travels the path of least resistance, therefore, filling all void areas as well as compacting any loose soil. Once the soil is compact, the expansion of the foam creates the power to lift the slab. Our high-density polyurethane cures to 90% in fifteen minutes – which translates to the slab being traffic-ready by the time we are packing up our equipment.

Eliminating Trip Hazards

GCS April 7, 2021

Sunken Slabs Create Trip Hazards

One of the first reasons a sunken slab is often noticed is because it’s created a trip hazard. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a “trip hazard” as any vertical change over a ¼ inch or more at any joint or crack. Cities, school districts, hospitals, churches, shopping malls, universities, apartment complexes, homeowner associations, large buildings, and private residences should all be concerned with this liability.

Concrete Leveling with Polyurethane

Eliminating these hazards and avoiding litigation is as simple as hiring a contractor who is using the right concrete leveling technique and material. Ground Consolidation Services lifts and levels slabs using Alchemy-Spetec’s line of AP Lift products. These high-density polyurethane lifting foams are used in a wide array of applications from lifting walkways to lifting highway bridge approach slabs on DOT projects.

Slab Lifting vs Slab Replacement

In addition, GCS has specialized tools in our bag like the jack system we use to mechanically manipulate the smaller, harder-to-control slabs. The only other viable option to lifting the slabs, in most cases, is the removal and replacement of them. This option is generally much more expensive and certainly more time-consuming and intrusive. We often do jobs for customers who have gone that route in the past and every single time they say they wish they had known that GCS was an option. We are usually done within a few hours, with the treated areas being traffic ready immediately.

Lifting a Sidewalk at a Shopping Mall in Buckhead

GCS March 31, 2021

GCS is working with the Atlanta shopping mall Shops of Buckhead to solve settled walkway issues around that upscale property. In the picture included with this post, you’ll see a large sidewalk slab that has been lifted back to its original level. The surrounding small slab panels will then be reset to their original level by the property owner.

Stabilizing the Soil with Polyurethane

To get this large sunken slab lifted, we began with subsurface deep injections of Alchemy-Spetec’s AP Lift 430 to stabilize and tighten soft inadequate soil. Probe spacing of 4-5 feet on-center proved to be more than adequate to densify the soil. Once the root of the problem was taken care of, we were able to move on to lifting the slabs back to a level that pitches water away from the building.

Lifting the Slab with Polyurethane

With the now stable soil being compact, we injected AP Lift 430 foam directly through the slabs via ⅜ inch injection holes. The slabs began lifting right away and the clients were not only happy the project was a success but really enjoyed watching the process unfold. It is always a good day when your customers are present and part of the excitement! Give us a call for a free assessment of any soil or sunken concrete issues. We’d love to help!

Void Fill Under Pool House in Atlanta

GCS March 15, 2021

Sometimes we run into situations where we just can’t reach a remote work site with our larger equipment truck, in spite of having over 200 feet of pump hose on board. This is where the PolyBadger mobile unit comes in handy. The PolyBadger, manufactured by Alchemy-Spetec, is a tough and compact mobile cart system for pumping polyurethane resin. With the pump, a generator, and a compressor, we’re able to perform a slab lifting, soil stabilization or void fill job virtually anywhere. This includes both remote outdoor locations and the inside of large facilities.

On this particular job we were called in by a contractor who is restoring a very interesting pool house in the upscale Atlanta area of Northside Drive. The pool actually sits atop and in the center of the pool house. During the initial restoration process, they discovered voids under the pool house foundation. Obviously, that was a concern to say the least. Once we got the PolyBadger set up, we made quick work of filling the voids with AP Lift 475, a high-density polyurethane foam. After a few short hours, we were finished and out of the way, so the restoration crew could start backfilling the area.