Addressing Foundation Settlement Challenges in Modern Structures
Buildings can experience foundation settlement over time, evident through wall cracks, warped door frames, and uneven floors. Traditional underpinning methods often fall short for modern building designs and slab foundations. Melbourne Resin Injection Underpinning offers a contemporary solution that supersedes conventional concrete underpinning.
Minimally Invasive, Maximum Effectiveness
Our approach to underpinning avoids extensive excavation, preserving gardens and pavements. Traditional methods are often expensive, lengthy, and fail to address the root cause, sometimes even leading to future foundation issues. Melbourne Resin Injection Underpinning’s method is streamlined, cost-effective, and provides long-term stability.
Chemical Underpinning Explained
Chemical, or polyurethane, underpinning involves injecting a dual-component resin beneath the slab. This resin rapidly expands, filling soil voids and solidifying the base, preventing further sinking. Additional resin injections can lift the structure back to its original position, revitalizing it to near-new condition.
Polyurethane vs. Concrete Underpinning
Traditional underpinning uses concrete and steel, requiring excavation that can be messy and damaging. Our chemical underpinning, a preferred method in Melbourne, involves drilling small holes for resin injection, a cleaner and faster process with minimal disruption.
Understanding Damage Causes
Reactive Clay Soil Challenges:
Clay soil’s moisture sensitivity can lead to heaving or shrinking, affecting foundations. Environmental factors like drought or moisture loss due to vegetation can exacerbate this issue.
Water Erosion and Flooding:
Inadequate drainage can weaken soil beneath concrete structures, creating voids and leading to subsidence. Regular checks for pipe leaks are crucial to prevent these problems.
Adjoining Construction Impacts:
Construction activities on adjacent properties can destabilize the soil, leading to foundation issues.
Exceeding Load Capacities:
Overloading a slab beyond its or the soil’s bearing capacity can initiate cracking and weakening, reducing structural integrity.
Poor Construction Practices:
Inadequate foundation methods, like improperly prepared waffle slab footings, can lead to subsidence and structural distress.
Our Comprehensive Underpinning Process
- Site Investigation: We conduct thorough site assessments to identify the causes of subsidence and determine the best corrective measures.
- Solution Planning: After diagnosing the issue, we map out precise injection points for effective slab correction.
- Preparation and Injection: We drill strategic holes for the chemical underpinning process, ensuring no damage to existing services.
- Monitoring and Completion: The lifting process is closely monitored for optimal results, followed by site cleanup and any necessary additional repairs.
Why Melbourne Resin Injection Underpinning?
Boasting 50 years of combined experience in structural engineering, geology, and project management, our team is equipped to handle both residential and commercial projects across Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania, and larger projects nationwide. We are committed to delivering top-notch customer service and industry-leading expertise.