Elevator Pits Fixed | Water Stop & Leak Sealing | Polyurethane Chemical Grout Injection

Water was accumulating on floor of elevator pit and causing buildup of efflorescence and erosion of the cast in place walls.

The Contractor was asked to mitigate the water intrusion from the cold joints of the through floor and poured in place wall. One of the four walls was a masonry block wall.

Based on initial analysis of the pit, it was determined that the P2002 would be a convenient, time- and cost-effective way of injecting Water Stop Foam. The elevator was currently in use, so scheduling had to be arranged with the OTIS tech to temporarily shut down the elevator so the contractor could work safely below the elevator car.

In the initial construction of the elevator pit, no plans were provided or available to determine if a preexisting waterstop existed, and if the cold joint was vertical or horizontal (through the wall or through the floor). Test holes would have to be drilled to determine the condition of the cold joint and pre injection of water to prove that we had travel along the joint. Test injection was accomplished by pumping water through the BGUN1500 hand operated pressure pump and 13-100AL ½” aluminum packers.

While performing the pre-injection, we were able to prove that we had traveled along the joint by refusing water from the cold joint. The pre-injection of water not only demonstrates that you have traveled along the crack, but it also cleans out the drill hole and primes the crack for the hydro-active 1510 Water Stop Foam.

The 13-100 AL packers were placed with roughly 18″ spacing and drilled roughly 4″ – 6″ through the floor using the 1, 2, 3, 45-Degree method following the results of the test injection. For corners, packers were placed roughly 8” from the point of the corner and drilled directly into the corner at the 45-degree angle through the floor, and additional packers placed 8” from adjoining wall and 4” – 6” from the face of the wall where the joint would be injected.

Once all packers were installed, injection began and we had immediate take of material and travel. Off-gasing from the reaction was visible several feet away from point of injection and shortly thereafter we had refusal of resin through the cold joint and resin began to cure. Smaller shrinkage cracks became visible as well as foam reacted and cured.

After a few hours of injection, the cold joints were sealed and the elevator was able to be put back into service.