OUR BLOG: INSIDE THE LIFT

20Jan 2015

Inflow and Infiltration Restoration Using URETEK’s Deep Injection® Process

By Robert Armstead

One emergency repair that URETEK Holdings is asked to complete on a consistent basis, is inflow and infiltration restoration for storm drain systems. When the pavement and two manhole structures on Creighton Road in Pensacola, Florida, began to fail due to voids under the right-of-way, the Florida Department of Transportation made an emergency call to URETEK Holdings.

Soil erosion under roadway
Soil erosion under roadway

The Solution

After a site visit and pre-estimate meeting with the Florida Department of Transportation, the contractor, Roads, Inc., and URETEK’s project manager, Tommy Russum, a design was approved for injection locations, and quantities and depths for injecting URETEK’s Star 486 polymer to encapsulate and seal the faulted joints from inflow and infiltration.

The Installation

After an onsite pre-construction and safety meeting, URETEK’s crew entered the 48” storm drain system to inject the polymer at two different locations in order to encapsulate and seal the faulted joints.

After sealing inflow
After sealing inflow

Injection points were drilled on a four-foot grid pattern from grade along the centerline of the pipe.  Using the URETEK Deep Injection® Process, injections were made at five distinct elevations to fill the voids and compact loose soils, ultimately restoring and increasing bearing capacities. During the injection, laser levels were used to detect the slightest movement at the surface.  Upward movement at the surface indicated the soil mass had been stabilized.

Remnants of deep injection points
Remnants of deep injection points

Outcome

After compacting and filling the voids in the loose soils, URETEK successfully rehabilitated the storm drain system and increased the soil load-bearing capacity.  The work was quickly performed over three days with minimal disruption to traffic on Creighton Road.