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.

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!

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!

Permeation and Compaction Grouting in Peachtree City

GCS March 9, 2021

In Peachtree City, a water line recently broke and went undetected for a lengthy period of time, causing large amounts of soil to wash towards a nearby retention pond. This was especially problematic since it occurred underneath a large retaining wall that supports a large retail store! Settlement of the back corner of the building led to the discovery of the deeper and profoundly serious issues below.

A contractor installed helical piers (steel foundation pins) around the back corner of the building. The GCS crew then performed deep injections of Alchemy-Spetec’s AP Lift 430 in a curtain pattern to compact loose soil around the piers and prevent any future lateral movement. To remedy the washed-out soil issue along the drainpipe that feeds the retention pond, the GCS crew also did a series of probe injections (driving grout probes down 13 feet to essentially straddle the pipe).

The crew then injected AP Soil 600 to permeate and squeeze the unstable soil as well as fill any voids created by the washout. This repair took a few days. Could you imagine how much time and money it would take to rebuild a 20’x150’ retaining wall?!

Call us now at 678-337-8374 for a free assessment of any soil or settlement issues.

Leveling and Stabilizing a Factory Floor

GCS July 24, 2020

Recently Ground Consolidation Services was contacted by a South Carolina engineering and contracting firm for some help at an industrial food grade production plant. Due to poor compaction of the soils under the slab, cracking and settlement occurred. This was especially problematic because large injection mold machines sit atop this area and have to be level to work properly. Obviously having machines of this nature not running is quite costly to a production facility.

It was determined that soft unstable soils existed as far as 5 feet below the surface. GCS performed a series of deep soil injections using Alchemy-Spetec’s AP Lift 475, a high- strength hydro-insensitive polyurethane foam capable of supporting 14,000 lbs per square foot. The deep soil injection process used in this application is a form of compaction grouting designed to squeeze the loose soils in a confined space. Once the soil was stabilized, we injected directly through the slabs in order to lift them back to their original level position.

The facility engineers and managers were thrilled to get the machines back online, not to mention all this was done by lunchtime! These issues are all too common and unfortunately, a lot of people don’t know that these less invasive, less costly, and less time-consuming repair options are available. The alternative to our method would have been removal and replacement of the concrete. Could you just imagine the time, cost, and mess (especially in a food-grade facility)? If you see signs of concrete settlement, such as cracking or uneven joints, give us a call for a free evaluation!

Stabilizing Soil and Lifting Slabs at an Atlanta Shopping Center

GCS July 6, 2020

This past week a popular shopping center in the Buckhead area of Atlanta called in Ground Consolidation Services to perform polyurethane injections for the purpose of slab lifting and soil stabilization. We were referred to the property management team by NOVA Engineering, one of the south’s premier engineering firms. There were several areas throughout the shopping area that were suffering from unstable soil issues under the concrete. In some areas we injected Alchemy-Spetec’s AP Lift 430 directly through the slabs for the purpose of lifting and eradicating trip hazards. In other areas where the soil issues lie deeper we performed subsurface polyurethane injections through pipes. The deep injection process of our expanding structural foam squeezes and combines with the loose soils therefore stabilizing the concrete above from any future settlement. If you notice settling concrete around your property don’t wait to do something about it as it will undoubtedly get worse and cost you more in the long run.

GCS Lifts Sunken Steps for Multiple Homeowners Association Members in Hoschton, GA

GCS March 30, 2020

A neighborhood homeowners association member in Hoschton, GA recently found GCS via Facebook. Multiple homeowners in the same general area had problems with their front steps sinking. GCS was called in to perform an inspection and provide a free repair estimate. The estimator determined that repairs were possible and GCS crew were called in to do the job.

GCS crew used a mechanical jack to lift the steps close to level. They then injected Alchemy-Spetec’s AP Lift 430 to finish the leveling process and secure the steps in place. GCS has performed this procedure for seven homes in the same subdivision so far. All steps have been leveled perfectly. Residents so far have been very pleased with the results.

Commercial – Industrial Slab & Concrete Repair

GCS March 30, 2020

The photos in the graphic to the right depict two nightmare scenarios that no commercial – industrial property owner or manager wants to endure:

A Collapsed Slab
Cracked Concrete

Gound Consolidation Services can repair slabs in danger of collapse, lift sunken slabs, and repair cracked concrete. The state of the art polyurethane, polyurea and epoxies we use allow us to offer you the following advantages:

No Excavation
No Demolition in Most Cases
Clean, Fast, and Environmentally Friendly
No Heavy Equipment Required
No Permitting Required in Most Cases

Problems

Settled Slabs Cause…

Damage to Material Handling Equipment & Loads
Uneven/Unsafe Racking & Shelving
Slab Joint Damage (Spalls)
Trip Hazards & Litigation Risk

Concrete Cracks Cause…

Slab Deterioration Over Time
Rocking/Moving Slabs
Damage to Material Handling Equipment & Loads
Trip Hazards & Litigation Risk

Solutions

Stabilizing & Lifting Slabs:

Slabs are stabilized and leveled with high strength polyurethane resin. In optimal conditions, slabs can often be lifted to within 1/8” of their original level. Polyurethane slab lifting is much more efficient and a lot less expensive than demolishing and replacing the slab or structure.

Repairing Cracks:

Cracks are repaired with epoxy or polyurethane mortar. The mortar protects the edges of the joints from further chipping and spalling while absorbing the impact of hard-wheeled traffic (forklifts and pallet jacks).

Rebuilding Joint Nosings:
(Spall Repair)

Chipped joint edges, or “spalls”, are removed and the concrete is cut to a 90° angle. The joint nosings are then rebuilt with high-strength polyurethane or epoxy.

Filling Joints:

Deterioration of original joint filler can be repaired with high-strength polyurea. After any chipped edges or spalls are repaired, the deteriorated joints are thoroughly cleaned out. Polyurea is pumped in and then shaved to be level with the surface. The polyurea is tack free within two minutes and traffic ready in an hour. It protects the joints from further deterioration and protects the joint nosings from further damage.

The Ground Penetrating Radar Advantage

What Dangers Lurk Beneath Your Valuable Structures?

The Deep Look wireless ground penetrating radar system uses a patent pending unique triple frequency antenna design to create the most accurate image possible of the area beneath your valuable structures. Conventional single frequency antenna GPR systems cannot deliver the same level of clarity. Ground Consolidation Services will use the Deep Look GPR to take remove all uncertainty and take the guesswork out of the diagnostic process. A crystal clear understanding of the problem provides the best foundation for accurate, durable and lasting repairs.