Problem
The City of Buffalo Wyoming’s public pool had experienced large amounts of water loss due to leaks in the main fill lines beneath the pool. Cracks in the concrete floor of the pool had also contributed to the water loss. The leaks were causing ponds of water to develop beneath the pool, weakening base soils and this massive structure’s support system.
The City needed a solution that would seal the leaks in the main lines and underseal the floor of the pool to stop water loss. Because of the large size, tearing out the concrete to repair the leaks would be extremely expensive and would cause major disruption for the public with a lengthy closure. The City was looking for an in situ repair that would seal the leaks, stabilize base soils and allow the pool to be returned to service quickly.
Solution
CST partnered with City of Buffalo Public Works Director Les Hook, and department staff to design an in situ repair to seal the leaks, stabilize and void fill the soils to support the pool. Through a thorough investigation of the pool, it was determined that the ponding water was mainly collecting beneath the deeper end.
Injection holes were drilled, and the crew installed expanding structural polymer, starting at the shallow end, and working towards the deeper end of the pool. The injection pattern was carefully designed to only void fill and underseal the bottom of the pool without lifting any of the concrete. As injections were made, water was displaced and pushed out from beneath the pool and the saturated support soils.
Result
A total of 30,454 square feet area was successfully void filled and under sealed in a matter of a few days using CST’s expanding structural polymer injection technologies. The repair did not require any excavation and the pool was immediately available to be refilled and put back into use following completion of CST’s polymer injection process. The City saved thousands of dollars avoiding a rip out and replace scenario.
The hydro-insensitive characteristics of CST’s expanding structural polymer is ideal for rehabilitating leaking infrastructure. The Zero Excavation repair process is an ideal solution for repairing water lines, sewer connections, dams, inlets, irrigation structures, manholes and ground water cutoff walls. The high ten-sile strength of the material mitigates against channeling and is an ideal void fill and soil stabilization solution.
Challenges
- Design a cost effective repair solution to void and seal beneath the pool without tearing out the massive con-crete floor.
- Complete repairs efficiently without major disruption to the public or a lengthy closure.
- Stay within the City’s maintenance budget.
Benefits
- Zero Excavation, in situ repairs.
- Highly effective soil stabilization, void fill, and undersealing process.
- Hydro-insensitive material works well in saturated environments.
- High tensile strength mitigates against erosion and channeling.
