Void Fill to Prevent Collapse in Warehouse in Vaughan, ON

The Challenge

A pipe break left devastating voids beneath warehouse floors causing instability.

Pipe breaks can have devastating consequences for the soil underneath properties or concrete. At this warehouse on Vaughan, those consequences would have been more devasting had Integricon and EOR not contracted Groundworks for help. Instead of leaving voids in soil unchecked from a burst pipe (which would lead to further deterioration of concrete slabs in the warehouse,) the companies and business owners opted for a resolution that would be fast, cost effective, and minimally invasive. In this case, the pipe break had led to widespread undermining of the base soils across multiple sections of the warehouse, creating dangerous hollow areas beneath the slab-on-grade (SOG) floor. Left untreated, these voids could have caused settlement, cracking, and even total slab collapse under forklift or equipment loads. Further complicating this project was that the owners of the business also planned to remove parts of the slab and replace them. It was very important to ensure that the concrete did not collapse during the process of cutting and replacing parts of the slab.

Key Facts

The Solution

Filling voids and stabilizing warehouse floor with polyurethane.

Integricon and EOR worked with Groundworks to plan the best solution for the soils beneath the slab: polyurethane injection. After thoroughly planning, the Groundworks team worked methodically, drilling holes in the slab to inject into. The scope of work was designed to provide full void filling and stabilization of the SOG warehouse floor, with a particular focus on the slabs immediately adjacent to the sections that were to be saw cut and replaced. The goal was to stabilize the concrete, especially the concrete near the slabs that were to be cut out and replaced. Polyurethane was injected through the holes in the slab at several locations. As the material expanded, it flowed into the voids, locking the soil particles together and reestablishing a strong bond between the soil base and the overlying concrete slab.

The Impact

A supported, stable floor.

The entire slab on grade floor was supported and voids were filled after injections were completed. The reconnection of the soil to the slabs via polyurethane worked exactly as intended: it stabilized the slabs. All SOG floor areas impacted by the washout were quickly and effectively treated, leaving a uniformly supported warehouse floor. With the slabs firmly held in place, the business owners could move forward with having the necessary parts of the slab cut out and removed without fear and risk of collapse. By completing the project over the weekend, Groundworks minimized disruption to operations, allowing the business to resume normal use immediately without downtime or lost productivity.