Expanding Resin Injection for Soil Homogenization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current techniques for addressing differential sagging in foundation grounds lack direct control over the effects of injected resins, leading to inadequate uniformity and reliability in physical and chemical characteristics, especially in sensitive soils like clay, silt, and peat, and pose risks due to incorrect water distribution and potential ground liquefaction.
Innovation Solution
A method involving targeted injections of expanding chemical substances into specific ground areas, monitored by geoelectrical surveys to homogenize physical and chemical characteristics, using electrodes to measure resistivity and conductivity before, during, and after injections, allowing real-time adjustments to achieve uniformity with adjacent non-sagging ground conditions, without excavation or drilling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If cement compounds are injected at medium-high pressure to improve load-bearing capacity, then the ground strength increases, but the injection time is considerably longer and the ground may disperse making it difficult to check location and effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pressure parameter from medium-high to very low pressure values, and changes the chemical composition from cement compounds to expanding chemicals. This allows the ground to be strengthened without the time-consuming maintenance period and without causing ground dispersion that complicates monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses expanding chemicals that react and stiffen in extremely short time to create hardened columns, replacing the need for long-duration cement injection processes. The temporary injection holes are also abandoned after use, serving their purpose without requiring long-term maintenance.
2Strength
If cement compounds are injected to strengthen ground, then load-bearing capacity improves, but the ground may disperse mixing with injected material making it difficult to check location and effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces geoelectrical monitoring systems as an intermediary to track the location and effects of injected expanding chemicals. The monitoring electrodes and transmitters provide continuous feedback on the chemical distribution and ground response, preventing information loss that occurs with cement injection dispersion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses geoelectrical property changes (electrical resistivity and conductivity) as indicators to track the location and distribution of injected chemicals in the ground, similar to how color changes might indicate material distribution. This allows continuous monitoring of the injection effects without ground dispersion interfering with detection.
3Loss of time
If expanding chemicals are injected at very low pressure to reduce injection time, then the reaction and stiffening time is extremely short, but the injections operate at random without precise verification of effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback system where geoelectrical monitoring continuously measures electrical resistivity and conductivity during and after injection. This feedback allows real-time verification of injection effects and enables precise control to achieve homogenization, eliminating the random operation characteristic of traditional low-pressure expanding chemical injection.
4Measurement precision
If geoelectrical surveys are performed through injection holes to monitor cement injection, then direct ground measurement is possible, but the resistive injection resin bars subsequent comparison measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses separate abandoned holes for geoelectrical monitoring that are distinct from the injection holes. These monitoring holes are inexpensive and temporary, serving their measurement purpose without being contaminated by the expanding chemicals injected through separate injection points. This separation ensures measurement reliability is not compromised.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method ensures highly accurate and minimally invasive interventions, optimizing the use of expanding resins, reducing differential sagging, and providing lasting results while minimizing side effects and costs, by directly controlling the effects of injections and ensuring balanced ground conditions.
Implementation Method 1
injections of expanding resins, which, in an extremely short time, react and stiffen in the ground
Implementation Method 2
injections of expanding chemical substances... which, in an extremely short time, react and stiffen in the ground
Implementation Method 3
series of geoelectrical instrumental survey electrodes... aimed at measuring electric resistivity and conductivity
Implementation Method 4
measuring electric resistivity and conductivity at preset rates before, during and after each injection
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
A method for homogenizing and/or re-homogenizing the physical and chemical characteristics of foundation grounds and/or building areas in general, to fight the differential sagging of buildings, consists in injections of chemical products, even expanding and effective also in the presence of water and/or moisture (such as polyurethane resins and compounds), aimed at acting over the volumes of grounds that prove to be non-homogeneous and/or uneven compared to adjoining portions that are not affected by sagging and which are taken as reference portions. These portions of ground are localized and monitored according to set frequencies and fixed patterns by means of 3D tomographic geoelectric general detection means allowing the effects obtained in the ground by the mentioned targeted injections to be verified both before and during the work, owing to the nature of the resins/ground dynamic system and the treated volumes to be brought the same conditions of homogeneousness and/or uniformity as those matching the areas that are not affected by any sagging.