BRITISH firm Uretek, which specialises in supporting, relevelling or raising sunken concrete slabs, is on a mission to promote its innovative floorlifting and resin injection technology across the Gulf.

“Speed and lack of disruption are crucial in many ground-strengthening projects – which is why polymer injection processes are increasingly the solution of choice over more traditional cementitious methods involving excavations and long curing times,” explains Uretek’s Patrick Grant.
He continues: “Bringing polymer injection to the Gulf is Uretek UK, part of the worldwide Uretek group, who have pioneered and developed the techniques for the past 30 years.”
“Uretek systems are used throughout the world, including in the extremely hot and arid Australian desert. These uniquely developed resins have already achieve a very successful track record which can be replicated and demonstrated, even in the most challenging environment in the Middle East,” says Chris Davies, Uretek’s managing director.

Citing a recent example of the technology’s benefits, Grant says the usefulness of the polymer processes in a marine environment was highlighted on a repair to a heavily-trafficked ferry slipway in Scotland, connecting the mainland near Glasgow with the popular Isle of Bute.
“The concrete ramp that vehicles drove onto from the ferry was no longer properly supported, due to fill material being washed out,” explains Grant. “The lower part of the ramp was the most affected, and the engineer in charge had directed that no heavy loading should be placed on this section – meaning that at the next low tide, the ferry would have to cease operations.
“With ferries operating almost every 20 minutes from 5.30 in the morning until 9 at night, this would have meant significant loss of revenue. “Previous repairs using cementitious materials could only be carried out at night, when ferries were not running, and needed additional time for the material to set.”
So Uretek was brought in, as its polymer resins achieve almost full strength within 15 minutes, a timeframe that allowed work to be carried out during the day while the normal ferry schedule was maintained, he points out.
Authorities also wanted to ensure that there was no pollution caused, but as the Uretek material is inert when injected, it will not mix with water and the small amount that entered the water simply floated to the surface and was scooped up, says Grant.
“We drilled small holes through the concrete ramp and injected our material into voids,” continues Grant. “Being hydro-insensitive, the material displaced the existing water through pre-drilled weep holes, and consolidated the ground under the slipway.
Worked paused every 20 minutes as the ferry docked, and the team were also limited to carrying out the operation at low tide, the only time when access was available to the lower part of the ramp, which was normally under water.”
Despite this, the repair was completed in two days. “We started the work on Friday morning, and finished on Saturday evening,” says Grant. “The voiding was filled, there was no pollution, and no disruption to the ferry service. The clients told us the repair was cheaper and less disruptive than the cementitious alternatives.”