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.

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!

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.

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.

Void Fill Under Dining Room Floor in Decatur

GCS February 5, 2021

Recently, a concerned homeowner in Decatur, GA reached out to Ground Consolidation Services about a busted water line beneath his dining room. As often happens this issue went undetected for a lengthy amount of time. A plumber had to cut out a portion of the concrete floor in order to repair the leaking pipe. As the homeowner suspected, severe erosion had taken place under the foundation slab, leaving a sizable void—as much as a 1’ in some areas. After the pipe was repaired, the concrete was replaced. But the homeowner shared a photo with us of the cut-out area in the middle of his dining room.

The GCS crew arrived at the house and conducted a thorough inspection via small drill holes in order to determine the exact size of the void. One possible option would have been to completely remove the slab and replace the concrete, a near-impossible task on an interior foundation slab. Instead, the team injected Alchemy-Spetec’s AP Lift 430 high-strength polyurethane foam through the slab through 3/8” injection holes, filling any empty space and compacting all the loose soil.

Thankfully, the GCS team was able to stabilize the soil and fill the void beneath the slab in just 1 hour. The owner was quite pleased.

Void Fill Under Parking Garage Entrance in Buckhead

GCS January 19, 2021

Right before Christmas, the owner of a heavily trafficked commercial building in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, GA called in Ground Consolidation Services to fill sub slab voids in their parking garage entrance. Slab settlement coupled with cracking of the joint nosings led to the diagnosis. He was serious about getting the repair completed quickly. Cars needed somewhere to park!

The GCS crew arrived at the site and got right to work. We injected Alchemy-Spetec’s AP Lift 430 high-strength polyurethane foam through the slab, filling any empty space and stabilizing the entrance from any future settlement. The slab was also lifted back to its original level position.

Our experts were able to return the entrance to full functionality in just 1 hour, all while keeping the driveway open! The owner couldn’t have been happier.

Void Fill Under Stoop in John’s Creek

GCS December 16, 2020

A homeowner in John’s Creek, GA recently reached out to Ground Consolidation Services after noticing a significant soil void under his front porch stoop. This is a common issue we see throughout the residential market across Georgia, usually as a result of poor drainage, grading, or a combination of both.

A typical way of tackling ongoing water-induced erosion is removing and replacing the stoop entirely, but this is incredibly costly and requires pulling out a perfectly well-built structure in the front of your home.

GCS, fortunately, offers a cheaper and wiser alternative. The homeowner called in GCS, and once on site, the crew recommended using Alchemy-Spetec’s AP Lift 430 high-density polyurethane foam to fill the void. We quickly drove injection pipes into the deepest part of the soil and filled the entire void with AP Lift 430. This expanding structural foam is known for compacting the surrounding soil and creating a solid, impermeable mass that will support the stoop for many years to come.

The resident was thrilled that GCS completed the repair in 1 hour, preventing not only a stoop collapse, but also a complete replacement!

Crawlspace Void Fill to Stabilize Restaurant Foundation

GCS June 16, 2020

We got a call from the owners of a fast-food restaurant in Oklahoma City, OK. They had a problem with their crawlspace because the entire steel foundation framework was compromised by oxidation and time.

A local structural engineer recommended filling the entire 4,500 cubic foot crawlspace with Alchemy-Spetec’s AP Lift 430 high-strength polyurethane foam. It was either that or completely tearing down the structure to rebuild a new foundation framework, which could take forever. The restaurant was already suffering from lack of business as a result of COVID-19 so they needed it fixed ASAP. They called on Ground Consolidation Services for help.

Our crew arrived at the site quickly and got to work. We applied the AP Lift 430 to the entire crawlspace to support the structure. Our team of professionals efficiently filled the 4,500 cubic foot crawlspace with the expanding polyurethane structural resin. Thankfully, our experts completed the job and had the restaurant running again in two days! The restaurant’s employees, management, and ownership were grateful for the excellent job we did in such a short time.

Leak Seal and Void Fill of Detention Pond Pipes in Duluth, GA

GCS March 30, 2020

Recently we got a call from the President of a home owners association in Duluth, GA. The bottom of a large culvert pipe in a detention pond had decayed to the point that it was leaking massive amounts of water into the surrounding soil. A critically important standpipe was then threatened by a soil void caused by this water leak.

Ground Consolidation Services injected Alchemy-Spetec’s AP Lift 430 high strength polyurethane foam through the bottom of the pipe (see photo included with this article) to form a leak seal barrier and return the culvert to its full functionality. We then injected the foam into the void around the standpipe. Filling this void and compacting the surrounding soil created a solid impermeable mass that will support the standpipe for years to come.

This waterway leads to the Chattahoochee river, so we made sure to use a foam that was NSF approved for contact with drinking water. Environmental safety is a top priority for GCS.

The home owners association President was thrilled that this repair was accomplished without large machinery and/or the full replacement of the pipes. GCS saved them lots of time and money!