Below are some questions to consider when choosing a grout for sealing mainlines and laterals--before, after, or independent of lining:

1. Cost: Cost should only be one factor. What is more important is that you are using the appropriate product for the job and the grout is applied correctly--in accordance with the 2012 NASSCO recommendation is a good start.
2. Cost vs. Cure Time: Grouts have different cure times. Be sure to check tech data sheets to determine how much control over cure time you will have in the field. Better yet, you can do a more thorough investigation by performing your own tests. The more catalyst you need to reach the desired goal, the more money you'll spend on product.

I visited a job site a few weeks ago and talked with the grouting operator. I found three things very cool:

1. It was nice to visit a grout truck that was kept clean and orderly. This was a municipality that only has one crew responsible for each grout truck, so they treat it like their own.
2. They air tested every joint. There is no point in grouting only the visible leaking joints and ignoring the ones that are not noticeable. The joints must pass an air test or should otherwise be grouted. If not, once you grout the leaking joints, the groundwater simply migrates to the next joint and enters there.

I recently visited with Rod Lovett and Juan Bedoya with the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department. It was great to see them and meet some of their crew. Last year alone, Miami-Dade invested in nine new grout trucks. After 25+ years of grouting, it is encouraging to see one of the largest municipalities in the country so committed to stopping water infiltration. 

As Marketing Coordinator, I’m typically not in front of the product on a daily basis. But I am the one “in charge” when it comes to putting the pieces of our Urethane Injection School together, by transforming into event coordinator, caterer, and photographer.  While keeping the event organized and flowing, I get to experience the same value that our Grout School attendees do. Since I’m not out in the field, having the chance to watch how the products work and interact, and seeing how issues can arise at the drop of a hat is intriguing to me.

The military may ask you to lay your life on the line at times. A number of us here at Avanti are prior military. But risking your life waterproofing in a confined space is just silly and avoidable. Did you know that in a low oxygen environment, people will act normally at first, but will then abruptly feel dizzy and black out in a matter of seconds?

Chemical grouts are used before, during or after construction in a variety of applications including groundwater control, soil stabilization, void filling, encapsulation and structural lifting of concrete slabs. Because there are many kinds of chemical grouts it is important to review and match the needs of the project with the specific characteristics of the grout. For example, some resins are designed to permeate soil, rock or superfine cracks and cure with no expansion. Others are designed to fill large voids and expand up to twenty times their original volume. Some are shipped to the job site as a liquid which requires less mixing before injection, or in a granular form in order to maximize space on the jobsite and reduce shipping costs.