Polyurethane injection has become the more popular solution for soil stabilization, void-filling, and concrete raising needs. The process, which involves injecting specially formulated polyurethane foam into the soil underneath concrete slabs, has quite the variety of applications. From foundation and sidewalk repair to roadway and sewer infrastructure, polyurethane injection covers them all. Keep reading, and we’ll examine how polyurethane is used in these types of infrastructure repair applications.
What Makes Polyurethane Injection a Good Solution for Infrastructure Repairs?
Before the growth of popularity that polyurethane injection has experienced, traditional infrastructure repairs were time-consuming, messy, and labor-intensive. Polyurethane injection offers the advantages of being a quick, cost-effective, and non-invasive process.
Polyurethane injection requires no excavation. Instead dime-sized holes are drilled into the slab, and the polyurethane material is then injected. Once the process has been completed, the small holes are patched. The end results are often barely noticeable. The polyurethane foam mixture is capable of traversing through paths of least resistance, deeply penetrating and binding with weak soil to fill voids and create a dense and stable foundation. The polyurethane solution also will not erode and is resistant to moisture.
The material is also incredibly lightweight, preventing it from sinking into the ground or adding any additional weight. Polyurethane foams also retain their shape once cured. This allows the material to create a seal around leaking pipes. It works especially well in sewer infrastructure applications, not to mention roadways and bridges.
Polyurethane injection is commonly used in the following types of infrastructure repairs:
Roadway and Railway Rehabilitation
Paved roadways can sink and crack over time. This creates hazardous conditions for the vehicles that travel on them. Polyurethane injection is commonly used to repair and stabilize roadways when these events occur. The polyurethane material is injected through the previously mentioned dime-sized holes where it goes to work expanding and packing in the soil, binding with it to increase overall density. After completely filling the voids, the material continues expanding and restores the paved surface back to its original level. Similar to roadway applications, polyurethane can also be applied to railway systems to stabilize, densify, and realign beds and tracks.
Sewer Infrastructure Rehabilitation
Polyurethane is quite the powerful solution when it comes to sewer infrastructure repairs. Polyurethane injection is effective for sealing leaky joints and cracks in lateral lines, culverts and manholes, as well as void filling and stabilizing support soils around the structures. The process is quick, effective, and highly adaptable to the unique circumstances of the job at hand. Some specially formulated polyurethanes have hydrophobic properties that actually repel water, making them ideal solutions for preventing inflow and infiltration problems within sewer systems.
Statewide Foam & Coatings provides a variety of infrastructure repair solutions. Contact us today for a free consultation regarding your specific needs.