Epoxy injection

of cracked slabs
By Peter Barlow

Cracks in floor slabs are

easily accessible by repair
technicians and supervisors. On this job, epoxy
injection is underway at
several locations.

Properly executed epoxy injection repairs are economical,

long-term solutions for cracked slabs
poxy injection is a proven
technique for bonding
cracked concrete sections.
However, a successful
epoxy injection repair requires evaluation, preparation, and planning.
Before beginning epoxy injection repairs, identify the cause, or causes,
of the problem. Also, be sure that
epoxy injection is a proper repair
method. Epoxy injection is one element of structural repair, but may
only be part of the solution.

Evaluating crack repairs

ACI 224.1R describes ten major
causes of concrete cracking. Some of

these are one-time events that can be

repaired by epoxy injection to minimize secondary damage and restore
structural capacity. These include effects of construction overloads, volume changes (shrinkage and temperature), and other one-time overloads.
Concrete floors are susceptible to
cracking due to construction overloads and volume-change cracking.
Cracks that result from construction
overloads might range from 0.01
inch to 0.05 inch wide, and penetrate
completely through the slab. If cracking is addressed before secondary
damage occurs, epoxy injection usually will be successful. Secondary

damage can result from chipping,

spalling, or ravelling of crack edges
as loads are applied, or from water
or other chemicals penetrating
through the slab. After cracked slabs
are bonded and a monolithic section
is restored, the section probably will
be more durable, since water and
other chemicals wont penetrate the
slab as easily.
Sometimes its necessary to repair
slab cracks to prevent contamination
of the subgrade, or prevent undesirable material in the subgrade from
entering the occupied space. Crack
repair in food handling and processing areas eliminates hard-to-clean areas where bacteria may breed. Proper procedures and materials for
repair also can restore the slabs
appearance.
According to ACI 224.1R, cracks as
narrow as 0.002 inch can be successfully repaired by injection with epoxy.
Injection of very fine cracks isnt always necessary. For typical reinforced
concrete industrial floors, cracks from
0.010 to 0.060 inch wide often are repaired by epoxy injection.
Sometimes injection contractors
are contacted directly by building

sealed. Often, these notions are based

on bad experiences with jobs where
proper procedures werent followed.
Some common concerns include:

Extensive slab
cracks with surface
seal in place. Use
only enough sealing
material to contain
the injection resin.

Slabs on grade or elevated slabs

are either impossible or very difficult to seal on the back or underside. This leads to excessive resin
run out, so the cracks cant be
filled completely.
Contamination in the crack (dirt,
oil, or other material) can prevent
epoxy penetration or bond to concrete surfaces.
Mix the epoxy. Epoxies are multicomponent materials that react when
mixed. Most injection contractors
prefer continuous mixers.
Inject the epoxy. Epoxy is injected through the ports. In most cases,
technicians begin injecting at one end
of a crack and proceed from port to
port to the other end. Pressure is applied by equipment ranging from
simple hand-operated caulking guns
to hydraulic pumps. Control of injection pressure is important.
Remove the surface seal. When
the repair is exposed to view, the surface seal usually is removed by
grinding.

Edge spalling or severe rutting

over the cracks may require extensive crack preparation and sealing
before injection.

owners to repair cracked concrete.

Although some straightforward repairs can be undertaken on this basis, contractors should be aware that
they may assume significant responsibility and liability in executing
these repairs.
In many cases, the contractor may
recommend that an engineer or other
consultant help evaluate slab repairs.
Tests or evaluations before construction can clarify the scope of work
and establish necessary procedures.
Visual examination of core samples
helps determine the extent of contamination and typical crack widths.
After the investigator identifies the
cause of distress and proposes repair
procedures, the contractor can develop a plan for a complete and permanent repair. Its important that the
owner, consultant, and contractor
work together to plan an effective repair program.

Minimizing problems
Some building owners or inexperienced contractors believe that epoxy
injection doesnt work particularly
well on slabs, especially slabs on
ground where the back side cant be

Injection procedures
ACI 224.1R describes epoxy injection as a six-step procedure. Some
crack injection jobs may require
modification of these steps.
Clean the cracks. Contamination
can prevent epoxy penetration and
bonding of concrete surfaces.
Seal surfaces. The surface seal
contains the liquid epoxy during injection and curing.
Install entry ports. Entry port
spacing along the crack depends on
crack width, nature of the epoxy,
and thickness of the concrete element injected.

Figure 1. Experience shows that crack repairs are not durable when epoxy fills
the crack less than 90%. A new crack may form near the original crack.

Slabs cant be taken out of service

for extended periods. The odors
and dust associated with injection
work may be a problem for building occupants.
Epoxy injection doesnt permanently solve crack problems. This
can be due to poor quality-control
during evaluation and planning,
field installation, and inspection.
Experienced injection contractors
have encountered conditions similar
to those just described, but have
solved them in most cases. Many experienced contractors believe that the
easiest cracks to inject with epoxy are
those in a slab. Floor slab cracks usually are easily accessible. Ladders,
scaffolding, or swing stages are not

required. Also, supervisors and engineers can easily inspect and observe
the work.
Injection of slab cracks requires
careful monitoring of injection pressures and the quantity of material
installed in each port. Experience
shows that effective repair of cracks
by epoxy injection requires filling
the cracks at least 90% with injection
resin (Figure 1). For injection of slabs
on grade, the contractor must be prepared to use more epoxy and adjust
or modify standard injection procedures. Epoxy consumption might increase 100% on this type of job compared to a repair where material can
be completely contained. Even so,
this increased cost may only be 50
to $1 per linear foot.
Have alternate resin systems
available for slab repairs and experiment to determine the best
method. For example, use a fast-setting resin that begins to gel before it
completely drains from the crack.
Another approach is use of a higher-than-normal-viscosity injection
resin thin enough to penetrate the
crack but thick enough to hang on
the crack faces.
Epoxy injection is more successful
if cracks are clean before injection begins. Ways to clean contamination
from cracks vary in cost and range
from simple to complex. Common
methods of cleaning a crack include:

Extract core samples

to verify the effectiveness of epoxy injection. One core for
every 100 feet of
floor cracking is recommended.

Vacuuming with a good shop

vacuum
Air-blasting with compressed air
free of oil and moisture
High-pressure water-blasting
Chemical washing and flushing
(environmental and safety impacts
of this technique make it costly
and undesirable)
Severe edge spalling of a crack
may indicate other problems like
excessive loads, slab curling, or
pumping. If the crack is too widely
rutted, it may be necessary to sawcut the crack edges before sealing
and injection. This is necessary
where the cracksealing material can

Figure 2. Where cracks are rutted or edges are worn, a conventional surface seal
may not be sufficient. Often, surface cracks are sawn or routed and filled with
epoxy mortar before injection. Where floors are subject to steel-wheeled traffic,
use a rigid material to support slab edges.

be feather-edged and potentially

become a long-term spalling problem, especially where floors are
subject to steel-wheeled traffic.
Square the crack edges by sawing
or routing and select a durable,
rigid sealing material, such as an
epoxy adhesive or mortar. Figure 2
shows treatments for rutted cracks.
Problems with odor and dust
when performing epoxy injection in
occupied spaces can be minimized.
Use an injection system that completely contains the resin and doesnt
require extensive maintenance. Also,
carefully select and apply the surface
seal. Use only enough sealing material to contain the injection resin. Less
material applied to the surface means
less dust later. Installation of the surface seal, injection of resin materials,
and seal removal require trained and
experienced technicians. Sometimes
working when building occupants
arent present or hanging drapes or
other partitions is necessary to limit
problem odors or noise.
Surface sealing
Epoxy paste is the most common
material for surface seals because it
can withstand relatively high injection pressures. However, offensive
odors, difficulties in seal removal,
and control of dust and fumes during removal can be serious disadvantages for some applications. Alternate seals can be effective when

cracks are 0.010 to 0.040 inch wide, floor

traffic doesnt require supporting crack
edges with rigid materials, and conditions allow lower injection pressures. Alternate seals include cementitious and
thermoplastic or thermosetting materials.
The latter materials are easiest to apply,
fast to remove, and often can be removed
without generating dust and objectionable noise.
Grinding with abrasive materials is the
most common method for removing surface seals. Vacuum attachments for the
grinder can help collect and control dust.
Some thermoplastic and thermosetting
surface seals can be removed by heating
and scraping. However, toxic fumes may
be given off when these plastics are heated. Check with the material supplier to
find out the best way to remove seal materials.
Long-term performance
The issue of crack repair quality and
long-term performance is always a concern. For a high-quality job:
Carefully evaluate the problems causing the cracks.
Select an appropriate repair method.
Use experienced personnel and materials and equipment well-suited for project requirements.
Evaluate the quality of work as the
job progresses. A good rule of thumb
is to take a core sample for every 100
feet of crack injected. This confirms
whether procedures are effective in
filling the crack with resin and bonding the concrete.
Reference
ACI 224.1R-90, Causes, Evaluation, and
Repair of Cracks in Concrete Structures,
American Concrete Institute, Detroit.

Peter Barlow is a senior consultant with

Construction Polymer Technologies Inc.,
Renton, Wash., and is a member of ACI
Committees 224, Cracking, and 546, Repair. He has been involved with epoxy-injection repair work for nearly 20 years.
PUBLICATION #C930253
Copyright 1993, The Aberdeen Group
All rights reserved