Injection Systems for Concrete Structures

Causes, Remedies and Repairs

• Overview
- General introduction
- Reason for cracks
- Different types of cracks
- Crack characteristics

- Crack investigation and repair work

- On site investigation
- Injection – step by step
- Construction related cracks
- Curtain and Grid Injection
- Choice of the right injection material
- Standards

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 Cracks in concrete structures

• Cracks are an element of any

reinforced concrete structure.

• Cracks are not a failure of the

concrete. They are part of the
function of the reinforcement.

3
 Crack Characteristics
Crack Formation A

Schnitt A-A

Separation crack caused by tension

N N

• affects the entire cross-section

A

Bending crack caused by bending B

Schnitt B-B

moment M M

• affects half of the cross-section

B
C

Schnitt C-C
Shear cracks
• slanting toward axis of a member Q M

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Cracks in concrete structures

Types of cracks

Surface cracks
 Negative effect for durability

Separating cracks
 Negative effect for watertightness
 Negative effect for durability
 Negative effect for strength
Cracks in concrete structures

•Limits of the crack width

•depending on the construction

Inside structures, dry ≤ 0,40 mm

Outside structures, wet ≤ 0,30 mm
Structures in contact with de-icing salt ≤ 0,18 mm
Structures in contact with sea-water ≤ 0,15 mm
Water tank structures ≤ 0,10 mm
Source: ACI 224R-90 (American Concrete Institute)

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Cracks in concrete structures

•Width of a crack
The width of a crack is a
basic element for the correct
choice of an injection material.

Fine cracks normally require

a injection material with a low viscosity.

Injection materials with a higher viscosity

can be helpful in case of wide cracks.

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Cracks in concrete structures

•Minimum width of a crack

according to German regulation

Injection
Injektion Impregnation
Tränkung

EP-I 0,10 mm EP-T 0,20 mm

0,20 mm Waterproofin
schliesse
g
PUR-I n
0,30 mm Ductile
dehnfähig

ZL-I 0,80 mm ZL-T 0,80 mm

ZS-I 0,25 mm ZS-T 0,40 mm

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Cracks in concrete structures

•Movement of a crack
In case of crack movement a
flexible injection material
like a polyurethane resin
is necessary.

Attention !!!
All flexible materials have only a very limited extensibility.
The crack must be injected at its maximum width to limit
the expansion of the material.

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Cracks in concrete structures

•Criteria for crack repair work

Width of a crack

Movements of a crack

Stage of moisture of a crack

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Cracks in concrete structures
Reasons of crack repair work
Durability of the construction
Closing a crack to avoid the ingress of damaging
substances (e.g. corrosion due to chlorides)

Watertightness of the construction

Closing a crack to refit the sealing function of the
concrete structure.

Strengthening of the construction

Force transmitting injections to rebuild the strength
of a structure (e.g. after a unique overload)
Cracks in concrete structures
•Stages of moisture in cracks

Dry cracks

Wet cracks

Cracks with flowing water without pressure

Cracks with flowing water under pressure

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Cracks Investigation on site

• State of dampness

• Crack width

• Crack width changes

(short- or long-term?)

• Crack structure (how deep?)

• General state of Crack

(dust, oil or any other bond-breaking substances?)

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Cracks Investigation on site
State of dampness
The State of dampness is important
for the selection of the Injection
System
Dry cracks
 Is water penetration possible?
 Is the impact of water on crack area
detectable
 Are the crack edges visibly dry
 Assessment of crack edges via dry
cores?

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Cracks Investigation on site

Damp cracks

 Colour shade change of crack

area, but no water discharge
 Signs of recent water discharge
 Are crack edges visibly damp or
matt damp?
 Assessment on dry cores

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Cracks Investigation on site
Water bearing cracks “without
pressure”
 Is water detectable in crack area?
 Are water leaks in fine drops from
the crack – more or less?

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Cracks Investigation on site

Water-bearing Cracks
“under pressure”

 A continuous water
stream from crack

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Injection of cracks and voids

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What is the objective?
Closing
• To inhibit or hinder the entry of corrosion-promoting substances in
structural components

Waterproofing the Crack

• To eliminate crack-related leaks in building components

Structural-strengthening of Crack
• To join both crack edges to restore tensile and compressive strength

Flexible repairs
• Join both crack edges and gain limited flexibility

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Crack Repair by Injection Method
Definition
Procedure for filling cracks and cavities under pressure with drill-
hole (mechanical) or surface packers using the appropriate injection
method and material.

 Injection with drill-hole (mechanical)

packers is used:
 when drilling is possible
 for low and high pressure injection

 Injection with surface packers

Is used:
 when no drilling is possible
 when there is no water
(structural crack repair)
 For low pressure injection (<20bar)

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Crack Repair by Impregnation Method
Used to fill cracks without pressure in areas near the surface
 Is used
 On horizontal surfaces ONLY
 when no pressure is required
 For fine cracks
 when there is no water

Filling ratio

Venting

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 Application Technique
• Crack Injection with Mechanical
Packers
• Crack Injection with Surface
Packers Impregnation

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 Cracks in concrete structures
Application of a drill-hole packer

direction of
injection

View C-C
Cracks in concrete structures
Application of a surface packer

Nail has to be removed

direction of
patching
after hardening of the
injection
adhesive

View A-A

t: depth of injection by a packer

r: distance between the packers

Source: ZTV-Ing., German regulation

Crack Injection with Mechanical Packers
 Drill packer holes at a
45° angle to the
concrete
 Ø of drill hole = Ø of
packer + 2mm
 Drill hole depth: ~d

~45
° d: building component
thickness
d/2: Spacing
- from packer to packer
- from packer to crack

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Cracks in concrete structures
• Application of a drill-hole packer

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Cracks in concrete structures
• Application of a drill-hole packer
only
in case of very thin
constructions

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Start the Injection process

 Install the
mechanical
packers
 Tighten the
mechanical
Packers

28
• Fix the non-return
valve on the first
(lowest) packer

• Start Injection
process at the first
packer

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• When the injection
material flows out of the
second packer, fix non-
return valve on it as quick
as possible
• Repeat this procedure
from packer to packer
• If necessary, a secondary
injection is carried out

• Stop injection at the first

packer and continue at the
second

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 31
Cracks in concrete structures
Impression from the construction side
 32
Cracks in concrete structures
Impression from the construction side
 33
Cracks in concrete structures
Impression from the construction side
 34
Cracks in concrete structures
Impression from the construction side
 35
Cracks in concrete structures
Impression from the construction side
 36
Cracks in concrete structures
Impression from the construction side

Direction of the injection in

walls:

From the bottom to the top

 37
Cracks in concrete structures
Impression from the construction side
 38
Cracks in concrete structures
Impression from the construction side
Basic rule for choosing the injection pressure
for crack injection
Pmax. = (concrete strength x 10)/3

Example:
Concrete Class C25/30 (EN 206-1)
= 30 N/mm2 (for cubes)

Pmax. = (30 x 10)/3 = 100 bar

39
Crack Injection with Surface Packers

• Prepare the substrate by

blast cleaning or
mechanically by grinding
etc.

• Then clean by brush and

vacuum

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• Place a steel nail through
the surface packer into the
crack to prevent the
injection canal from being
blocked by the patching
material

• Install the surface packer d: building

with the patching material component
thickness

Type SP

41
• Patch the surface of the
crack ensuring that the
packer and the crack on
the surface are fully
covered by the patching
material

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• As soon as the patching
has cured (~24h), remove
the nail and fix the non-
return valve on the first
packer and start the
injection process
• When the injection
material flows out of the
second packer, fix non-
return valve on it as quick
as possible
• Stop injection at the first
packer and continue at the
second
• Repeat this procedure from
packer to packer
• If necessary, a secondary
injection is carried out
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 Calculation Aid for Patching Material

e.g.: PU Injection: Elastic patching material

Rate of consumption for patching:

 Approx. 0.5 kg per running
meter
 Layer thickness = 3 mm
 Width = 100 mm

44
Impregnation Methods

 Paint the crack with a paint brush

 “open” the crack and fill in the injection material

Filling ratio

Venting

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Cracks in concrete structures
• Quality of the crack repair work
Impregnation Injection

5 mm or 15 x crack width 80 %

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 Cracks related to Construction

Leaking construction joints

- Waterproofing is missing
- Waterproofing with poor
performance
- Incorrect application (fixing,
welding …)
- Insufficient concrete
compaction …

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 Leaking joints
•Reasons of leaking joints

48
 Leaking joints
•Impressions from the construction side

49
 Leaking joints
•Construction joints repair work

Injection
Packer

Construction
Joint

50
Leaking pipe penetrations

51
 Leaking waterproofing details
•Pipe penetration repair work
 Difficult repair work because of the potential damage
of the pipe by drilling the holes.

Patching

Penetration

52
Surface sealing of leaking Concrete
Structures

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Where do we find these leaking building components?
– underground car parks
– basement buildings
– underground constructions, tanks,
reservoirs, pools…

54
Objective of Surface Sealing

– To eliminate leaks in underground building

components

– Creating a new sealed surface (curtain) in

foundation pits in direct contact with the
building structure or within the structure

– Repair existing waterproofing system

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Surface sealing of leaking concrete structures by
means of injection are used if…

– traditional ways of
 laying bare and renewing the watertighness(no possibility
to reach the leaking structure from outside)
 installing new joints
 installing shotcrete shells
 injecting cracks and cavities

… ARE NO LONGER POSSIBLE!

– the costs of conventional sealing is

unreasonably high

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 Application Technique

• Curtain
Injection with
Polyacrylate
Gels

57
Curtain Injection
 The packers are placed in a grid
with a distance between 30-50 cm.
The right distance shall be checked
by a test injection.

 You need detailed information of the

soil to choose the right material, the
right packer distance and the right
way of application.

Curtain injection

58
Grid Injection
 The packers are placed in a grid
with a distance between 30-50
cm. The right distance shall be
checked by a test injection.

 The depth of the holes is 2/3 of

the construction. Injektions- Bohrkanäle
schleier im Raster
 The construction must be
injectable.
Grid
injection

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 Grid injection
•Impressions from the construction side

60
 Start the Injection process
• Drill holes horizontally
through the leaking
building component

• Ø of drill hole = Ø of
packer + 2mm

• The distance between the

packers are 30 – 50cm
apart

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• Install mechanical packers

• Tighten the mechanical

Packers

62
• Fix button head
(non-return)
fittings on the first
packer at the
lowest row of drill
holes

• Start Injection
process at the first
packer

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• When the injection material
flows out of the second
packer, fix non-return valve
on it as quick as possible

• Stop injection at the first

packer and continue at the
second

• Repeat this procedure from

packer to packer

• If necessary, a secondary
injection is carried out

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 Important Notes for the Application of
Injection Systems:
• Make sure that there are no drainage pipe or
services in or behind the surface
• Start injection with low pressure
• Always work by injecting from the bottom to
the top
• During Injection, wear safety glasses, gloves
and helmet
• Provide sufficient air exchange
• Never stand directly behind the packer

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Properties Injection Materials
AC AC AC AC
H2O H2O H2O

AC AC AC AC
H2O H2O H2O

AC AC AC AC

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 Properties of Polyurethane Injection
Materials
• High flexibility, even below 0°C
• Foam formation with water contact (if there
is no defoamer)
• Good adherence to dry and wet surfaces
• Different properties: PU Foams (reactivity,
expansion rate, elasticity, end product…)
• Different properties: Resins: Viscosity,
hydrophilic/hydrophobic, elasticity

67
Properties of Epoxy Injection Materials
• High mechanical properties (compressive, tensile
strength…)

• Good adherence to dry and damp surfaces

• High chemical resistance

• Different properties of different

formulations (viscosity,
elasticity, tensile strength,
end product…)

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Properties of Cement Microfine Binders

• Good mechanical properties (esp. compressive

strength)

• Good adherence to dry and wet surfaces

• Good flow properties

• Different properties of different cements and

admixtures (fluidity, setting point, thixotropy)

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Properties of Polyacrylate Gels
• Low viscosity
• No inherent strength (soft, elastic)
• Adjustable reaction time (30sec – 5min)
• Environmental safety
• Polyacrylate Gels should always be used in direct contact with
damp or water saturated conditions
• Polyacrylate Gels are corrosive (be careful with steel
reinforcement!)

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Main Injection Material Parameters

• Viscosity • Adhesion/Bond
• Expansion • Durability
• Reaction Time • Permanent Sealing
• Potlife • Resistance
• Flexibility • Environmental
Hazard/Toxicity

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 Selection of Injection Packers
Injection Packers are filler necks used as connection pieces
Between the injection pump and the structure.

There are two different groups of packers:

Mechanical packer Surface packer

Nipple or Cone head Flat head

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Selection of Injection Packers

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Standards: EN 1504 Part 5: Crack-filling
materials
• Harmonizes product norms
• Specification of mandatory
requirements
•
General Rules:
• Responsible for CE-Marking
The Producer by declaration of conformity to the regulations and CE marking; attests that
the characteristics of the product conform to harmonised norms, for the specified
construction

•EN 1504 Part 5 regulates neither the use of the material at the
construction site nor the quality control of the work performed

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Standards: EN 1504 Part 5: Crack-filling
materials

Products within the EN 1504 - 5:

• Polyurethane Resins
• Epoxy Resins
• Microfine Cement
• No PUR-Foams and Acrylates

75
Certificates, Standards and Test Reports

• Drinking Water
Certificates

• Other Test Reports

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