4. Application / Installation
4.1. Application Method
Grouting of Bolts:
A common application with epoxy resin grouts is heavy duty bolt anchoring on stanchion bases for example.
For this application the following issues are important:
Bolt holes or fixing pockets must be blown clean of any dirt or debris. All anchor pockets or sleeves must be dry and free of standing water. Ensure that any enclosed air pockets are released using preformed holes or by inserting a wire and move it to lance the air pockets.
Anchor Bolts for Machinery and Equipment:
Anchor bolts for machinery and equipment need a special procedure:
Anchor bolt „box outs‟ or „sleeves‟ should be thoroughly cleaned of all debris and can be filled with a self leveling, flowable Sealant (e.g. Sikaflex®-228, Sikaflex 2CSL or similar). The anchor bolts should be wrapped with a flexible insulation tape/material about 6 mm in thickness to prevent bonding of the grout to the anchor bolt. This insulating material should extend from the top of the concrete to the underside of the base plate.
Equipment Base Plate
Tape/foam Insulation
Sikaflex® (Self Leveling) Concrete Base
Epoxy Grout
Stretching Length
AnchorBolt
Sika Services AG / Speckstrasse 22 / CH-8330 Pfaeffikon / Switzerland Tel: +41 44 403 13 73 / Fax: +41 44 403 13 77
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Preventing Grout Edge Curling:
Problem of Edge curling:
Grout
= tensile or compressive stress, due to thermal expansion.
The Solution for Edge curling:
The Causation The Solution
HeatFlow Equipment Base
X
Design X less than Y X < Y
ü
It is recommended that the exposed edge distance (X) of the epoxy grout from the base plate to the formwork be kept less or equal to the thickness (Y) of the grout. This will eliminate edge curling of the grout.
Sika Services AG / Speckstrasse 22 / CH-8330 Pfaeffikon / Switzerland Tel: +41 44 403 13 73 / Fax: +41 44 403 13 77
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Placing:
It is essential that the grout mixing capacity, material supply and labour availability is sufficient to enable the grouting operation to be carried out smoothly and continuously.
Grouting from the shortest side:
Grouting from the shortest distance across the base plate
Do not grout from the long distance across the base plate
ü û
Grouting down / with any slope or decline:
Grouting down along the slope Do not grout against/up the slope
ü û
Grout from one side only:
Grouting from one side Do not grout from both sides
ü û
Sika Services AG / Speckstrasse 22 / CH-8330 Pfaeffikon / Switzerland Tel: +41 44 403 13 73 / Fax: +41 44 403 13 77
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Stagnated Material:
Freshly applied grout which has temporarily stopped moving can be „reactivated‟ and kept moving by using a suitable steel chain. àsee picture below.
Pull the chain slowly not abruptly!
Note: This is only for „reactivating‟the material to keep it moving, not for pulling/placing the material, the material is designed to flow by itself. Do not “break” the front or the
„tongue‟of the grout with the chain!
Sika Services AG / Speckstrasse 22 / CH-8330 Pfaeffikon / Switzerland Tel: +41 44 403 13 73 / Fax: +41 44 403 13 77
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Height of the Epoxy Grout
Place sufficient epoxy grout in the forms for it to rise slightly above the underside (approx. 3 mm) of the base plate.
It is recommended that during placement of the epoxy grout, the level of the grout has to be slightly above the level of the bottom of the base plate to ensure complete fill of the base. The final height of the epoxy grout should be finished level with the bottom of the base or only slightly higher.
This will eliminate any subsequent breaking off or edge „spalling‟of the grout should the equipment be subjected to a rapid increase in temperature later on.
~3mm
Fresh Epoxy Grout after placing
Equal with baseplate
Cured Epoxy Grout
Sika Services AG / Speckstrasse 22 / CH-8330 Pfaeffikon / Switzerland Tel: +41 44 403 13 73 / Fax: +41 44 403 13 77
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Checklist:
Prior to placement, ensure that all surfaces are dry
Any bolt pockets must themselves be grouted prior to grouting between the substrate and the base plate.
Grout across the shortest width of the equipment/base Place the grout down/along any slope, not against/up
Continuous grout flow during the grouting operation is essential. Sufficient grout must be available prior to starting, and the time taken to pour a mixed batch must be regulated to the time taken to prepare the next one.
The mixed grout must be poured from one side only to eliminate the
entrapment of air. A grouting head must be maintained at all times so that a continuous grouting front is maintained.
When the grout reaches the open side of the formwork and rises above the underside of the base plate, pouring should continue slowly down the length of the base plate until completed.
Ensure, that the hydrostatic height of the grout does not decrease to the level of the bottom of the base plate; keep it above this level. The material in the feed hopper should be continuously fed and supplied.
Sika Services AG / Speckstrasse 22 / CH-8330 Pfaeffikon / Switzerland Tel: +41 44 403 13 73 / Fax: +41 44 403 13 77
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Placing grout in several layers:
1. Chemically Bonded (without mechanical adhesion)
Epoxy on epoxy achieves a chemical bond with cross linking that is very strong. To achieve this high bond strength between the layers, the following layer should be applied as soon as possible, but the prior layer has to be allowed to cool down completely first.
Grouting of the first layer
Applying the second layer as soon as possible after the first layer, but waiting until the first layer has completely cooled down to the ambient temperature Applying the third layer, after the second layer has again cooled down. Etc.
1. Layer 2. Layer 3. Layer
Keep the surfaces absolutely clean (free from dust, water etc.) until the next layer of grout is applied.
The last lift/layer must be kept to a maximum thickness of 50 mm.
2. Mechanically Bonded (with mechanical adhesion)
Mechanical adhesion is obtained by filling each layer with some additional coarse aggregate to excess so that it is not completely immersed in the layer. If the second layer has a thickness of 4cm, the exposed aggregate should be approx 1-2cm above the level of the first layer (like an iceberg in the sea).
Additional note: This coarse aggregate also helps to reduce the heat from the exothermic reaction, because some of the heat is absorbed by the aggregate The aggregate must be complete dry. Place the aggregate within the potlife.
1. Layer Additional aggregate
broadcast in 1. Layer
2. Layer
Additional aggregate broadcast in 2. Layer
3. Layer Additional aggregate
broadcast in 3. Layer
Keep the surfaces absolutely clean (free from dust, water etc.) until the next layer of grout is applied.
The last lift/layer must be kept to a maximum thickness of 50 mm.
Sika Services AG / Speckstrasse 22 / CH-8330 Pfaeffikon / Switzerland Tel: +41 44 403 13 73 / Fax: +41 44 403 13 77
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The Placing of large volumes:
Problem:
The flow of the material should never stop and the hydrostatic pressure should always be maintained. If the grouting area is too large for this in a single operation, the
following procedure could be a solution:
Solution:
Divide the area and make several lanes (e.g. approx 1m width) using wooden slats with foam block (open celled) or a sealant tape (with enough thickness) on the top and bottom of the slats (so they can be removed after grouting) Apply release agent on the wooden slats to remove the slats afterwards easily.
After the removing of the slats be aware, that no release agent is on the shoulder of the epoxy grout before applying the second step.
Divide the whole area into these sections as appropriate
Fill the only the „odd‟ and not the „even‟sections numbers first
The „even‟numbers (the next sections between) can be grouted as soon as the grout in the „odd‟ sections has cured and the slats have been removed. (See the diagrams on the next page also)
Epoxy Grout
Lanes“
Prepared Substrate
Example of grouting in several alternate sections
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The Procedure for Grouting in several lanes:
Plan view step 1 (below)
Plan view step 2 (above)
Cross section step 1 + 2 above
Sika Services AG / Speckstrasse 22 / CH-8330 Pfaeffikon / Switzerland Tel: +41 44 403 13 73 / Fax: +41 44 403 13 77