Void Filling at Paradise Grill
Challenge
DryZone was approached by the Pot Nets community to help them with a unique issue involving a void under a concrete slab. This fall the delmarva area experienced a nor’easter with widespread flooding. During this storm an area of the Paradise Grill in Pot Nets had erosion of soil and sand under a concrete walking path. The Pot Net’s team attempted to fill the void by adding a concrete slurry, however the concrete did not set correctly leaving yet another void. To add to the challenge, that Saturday the community was set to hold a 5k walk/run benefitting the American Breast Cancer Association. Pouring more concrete would not set in time before the race to allow for patrons to use the walkway. Pot Net’s turned to DryZone for a solution, as a leader in the area for concrete and foundation work.
Solution
DryZone specializes in a product called PolyLevel. Our System Design Specialist inspected the walkway and made agreements to have our PolyLevel team come out to fill the void. With this application we are able to fill the void under the walkway without lifting or disturbing the slab above. Although, in other applications PolyLevel is strong enough to lift concrete, we wanted to control the flow of the PolyLevel foam to only fill the void. The unique qualities make this the right solution for the job.
What makes PolyLevel® Foam unique from other applications, like mud jacking, is that it is lightweight, fast, waterproof, and environmentally friendly. Mudjacking is a old fashion method to leveling concrete and filling voids, like the one at Paradise Grill. Mudjacking uses high pressure grout that is pumped below the slab to fill the void.
One of the main advantages of PolyLevel® versus mud jacking in this type of application is its quick set up and cure time. Mudjacking can take several days to cure and there was no guarantee that it would be ready for runners to use the walking path before the day of the race. PolyLevel sets up in seconds and is ready for traffic in 15 minutes.
Mudjacking is also very heavy, coming in at a whopping 120 pounds per cubic foot. This can add a significant amount of weight to the soil that supports the slab. This can often create an even bigger problem or make it worse because the slab could potentially start to sink more in the future. PolyLevel® is light weight, less than 4 pounds per cubic foot. PolyLevel is waterproof, this walking path was located right on the water and the high tides would often reach the top of the slab. PolyLevel® won’t ever wash out from beneath the concrete.
The view from Paradise Grill is of the pristine Indian River. During the summer you can sit on the pier, enjoy live music, and watch the beautiful sunset over the river. You can often catch a glimpse of fish jumping, great blue herons flying by, and fishermen coming in with the day’s catch. Those that live, work, and enjoy the area know health of the waterway is of the utmost importance. PolyLevel was a great choice for this project because it is environmentally friendly. PolyLevel® foam will never rot or deteriorate over time, protecting the area habitat.
Project Summary
System Design Specialist: Derek McCarra
Foreman: Joshua Richmond
