Case Studies
Real projects, real results. See how we've helped clients solve their void filling challenges
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Residential Pool Stabilization
PROBLEM A 20-year-old residential pool had settled around the entire perimeter, upwards of 5 inches from end to end. This caused the skimmer pump to start sucking air and for the waterline to be off. The pool was located on the side of a hill, and the soil began to erode, causing the "foundation" of the pool to shift—a common problem for structures built on hillsides. FILLFOAM SOLUTION FillFoam™ Canada was contracted to stabilize the pool. They first installed steel piers under the entirety of the pool to achieve the necessary lift. Next, they strategically drilled five 1-inch holes through the shell of the pool. They then installed four cubic yards of FillFoam™ to fill the void created during the lift. By using FillFoam™, they were able to ensure that the void was completely filled using a minimal amount of holes. FillFoam™ is a two-part mixture of a resin and hardener and was chosen for this project because it does not lift and can flow hundreds of feet from the injection point. This process was important to stabilize the pool before further erosion and prevent costly repairs. RESULTS This project was completed in just one day with four cubic yards of FillFoam™. FillFoam™ Canada was able to save the homeowner the time-consuming and costly repair of reconstructing the pool had it continued to settle.
Residential Sinkhole Repair
PROBLEM A homeowner was cleaning up his yard in late November of 2019 when the back tire of his lawn tractor got stuck. Puzzled, the homeowner freed his lawn tractor and discovered that he had a large sinkhole in his yard. The hole had an opening that was roughly three feet in diameter and expanded to about a six-foot diameter at the bottom of the hole, and was about five feet deep. The homeowner was confused as to how a sinkhole would have developed in his yard since he lived right in the city. He contacted the city's public works department, who came out to his house and determined that the hole was not caused by ruptured water lines or by an abandoned culvert. FILLFOAM SOLUTION Unsure of what to do with the hole and concerned about its potential impact on his home's foundation, the customer contacted FillFoam on a Friday afternoon. A representative from FillFoam was at his home the very next Monday to inspect the area. Sinkholes in the area are often caused by limestone or dolomite in the ground. Limestone and dolomite are rocks that are easily fractured and can dissolve in water. Water seeping down beneath the soil can cause erosion in the limestone or dolomite, which can lead to underground cavities developing. The summer and fall of 2019 had a large amount of rain in the area, which is believed to have aided in the development of this particular sinkhole. RESULTS After observing the sinkhole and researching sinkholes in the area, the customer was contacted, and a plan to address the sinkhole was proposed on Tuesday, the very next day. Because the sinkhole was smaller and far enough away from the customer's home, the plan was to fill the sinkhole with FillFoam and monitor the area. The low cost of the FillFoam option made it an easy choice for the customer, and the sinkhole was filled by pumping 278 lbs of FillFoam into it. Once the hole was filled, topsoil was placed over the top of the FillFoam. The total time of the project from arrival to cleanup was just under one hour.
Railroad Culvert Fill
PROBLEM FillFoam Canada was approached by a Canadian rail company to assist with the abandonment of old culverts running under their railways. Old culverts were made of corrugated steel which had begun to fail in certain locations under the tracks. The client wished to fill these culverts to reinforce the structure ensuring the ground above them would not collapse in the future. They also needed to ensure that water was not able to flow through and continue to erode areas that were already failing. Client concerns included: Traditional methods were time consuming, expensive, and complicated. Traditional abandonment products were not eco friendly and posed challenges during installation. For example, concrete slurry mixtures would "blow out" during installation, requiring a major cleanup operation. They also require heavy equipment which, when operating beside highways, would require extra resources for traffic control, lane closures and other safety measures. FILLFOAM SOLUTION FillFoam Canada built a 50 ft injection nozzle and capped the far end of the culvert leaving a single exhaust port. The 50 ft nozzle was placed into the 75 ft culvert creating an injection point 25 ft from the end. Foam was pumped in from this point until it pressurized the far end and began coming out of the port. The port was then plugged, and the nozzle was pulled roughly 10 ft back towards the open end of the culvert. Each time the foam moved 10-15 ft back towards the injection end of the culvert, the nozzle was pulled back as well. This approach kept the foam under positive pressure during installation allowing it to fill to the volume of the culvert. FillFoam Canada's approach removed the heavy equipment requirements, as the only equipment required onsite was a ¾ ton truck and trailer. This eliminated the need to shut down one lane of the highway and manage traffic. This approach also eliminated concerns related to spills. The cleanup of concrete slurry is a much more involved process. RESULTS This process took roughly 2 hours per culvert. FillFoam Canada put a plan together that successfully accomplished the client's goal of filling and burying abandoned culverts. This plan was completed faster, safer, cheaper and at a reduced complexity when compared to the concrete slurry fill alternatives.
Warehouse Void Fill After Fire Riser Break
PROBLEM An interior floating slab had been compromised due to a fire riser break. The fire riser ruptured, and flooded out thousands of gallons of water under the slab and created a large void. The FillFoam Canada contractor was contacted to evaluate the void. FILLFOAM SOLUTION The FillFoam Canada installer was awarded the job due to the quick and effective void filling solution. First, a portion of the slab was cut out while another portion was deemed salvageable by the engineering firm by use of the FillFoam installment. The installer strategically drilled 84 x 1" holes into the slab to insure proper coverage of the FillFoam installed. The FillFoam was pumped quickly and safely with zero heat. FillFoam is the ideal choice for any void. It flowed easily to the deep crevice created. RESULTS This void was filled in just one day with 400 lbs of FillFoam. After the void was filled, a layer of polyurethane foam was installed on top before the concrete was poured above.
Alberta Highway Overpass Void Fill
PROBLEM Alberta Highways had problems with compacting soils leaving important parts of the structure exposed. Because of the situation and its location, conventional solutions were not an option to fix it. They needed to extend the vertical culvert, but filling it with concrete was not feasible. After working closely with the prime contractor and pitching our lightweight, non-exothermic structural FillFoam™ to fill the voids, they knew they had their solution. WHY FILLFOAM? The client chose our void-filling FillFoam™ solution because: • With limited access for large vehicles and concrete trucks in this location, our smaller trucks could easily reach the site. • The client was confident they would achieve the desired result without compromising on product quality, product function or project timelines. • Using FillFoam™ as a solution solved something that was almost impossible to do in this situation. If they had used the conventional solution, it could have delayed the project for weeks and cost significantly more. FILLFOAM SOLUTION Alberta Highways engineers were very concerned with the long-term stability of the project due to compacting soils under each end of the overpass. By extending the vertical culvert with light gauge metal sheeting and creating a tube around the I-beam, we void-filled with FillFoam™ around the structural I-beam to protect it while allowing for flexibility and movement (which was also a requirement). Ridged concrete would not work here. We then drilled 2-1" access holes at the top of the tube for the hose to inject the FillFoam™, allowing us to completely fill the space. RESULTS The client was very happy with the results of the timelines, cost and quality of the work. For this job, a two-man FillFoam Canada crew was able to complete it in 1 day, which, if attempted with conventional methods, would have set the client back weeks. Because of the time that was saved, the durability of the foam structure and the fact that it will last 490 years, FillFoam Canada was extremely happy with the results attained for the client.
Midwest Food Production Facility Void Fill
PROBLEM It was identified that there was a failure in the floor drainage of a food production facility. This slow drainage resulted in a major void and multiple pipe breaks. Because this facility was held to strict sanitation requirements, the equipment and floor were washed down regularly, resulting in water draining into the compromised piping, washing away valuable fill material. What started with only drips of water and small particles washing away developed into a major problem. The primary void was 60ft long and was a void size of 4'x4' feet at the worst area. The void ran perpendicular to the main forklift aisle. The worst part of the void was directly under the aisle. As soon as these voids were identified, the entire factory was shut down. This factory shutdown cost the plant millions of dollars in downtime and loss of production. FILLFOAM SOLUTION Prior to any repairs, the void needed to be filled to support the slab and the construction equipment needed to install the new drainage system. Voids were identified with GPR scan. Through two injection locations, 4,947 lbs of FillFoam material was installed, equaling a volume of 20 cubic yards. The complete void was pumped in 1 ½ hours. Within 24 hours a trench was dug through the cured foam to install new drainage pipes. Reinforced concrete was poured over the repair site and the plant was re-opened for operation. RESULTS The speed of mobilization from the FillFoam Canada team helped the plant save significant money and avoid longer downtime.
Residential Sinkhole Repair
A homeowner discovered a large sinkhole in their yard—3 feet in diameter at the opening, expanding to 6 feet at the bottom, and 5 feet deep. The sinkhole was caused by limestone/dolomite erosion from excessive rainfall. A FillFoam representative inspected the site on Monday and proposed a solution by Tuesday. The sinkhole was filled with 278 lbs of FillFoam in under one hour. The area was monitored over winter and spring, with no further settling observed, eliminating the need for additional Deep Foamjection™ stabilization.
Railroad Culvert Fill
A Canadian rail company needed to abandon old corrugated steel culverts failing under their railways. FillFoam Canada built a 50 ft injection nozzle and capped the far end of the 75 ft culvert. Foam was pumped from 25 ft from the end until it pressurized and came out the exhaust port. The nozzle was then pulled back 10 ft at a time as filling progressed. This approach eliminated heavy equipment requirements, traffic control, and environmental concerns associated with concrete slurry, completing the project in approximately 2 hours per culvert.
Residential Pool Stabilization
A 20-year-old residential pool on a hillside had settled up to 5 inches around the entire perimeter, causing the skimmer pump to suck air and the waterline to be off. Soil erosion had caused the pool foundation to shift. Steel piers were first installed under the pool to achieve necessary lift. Then, five 1-inch holes were strategically drilled through the pool shell and four cubic yards of FillFoam™ were installed to fill the void created during the lift. The entire project was completed in one day, preventing costly pool reconstruction.
Warehouse Fire Riser Void Fill
An interior floating slab was compromised when a fire riser ruptured and flooded thousands of gallons of water under the slab, creating a large void. The installer strategically drilled 84 x 1-inch holes to ensure proper FillFoam coverage. FillFoam was pumped quickly and safely with zero heat generation, flowing easily to fill the deep crevices. The void was filled in just one day with 400 lbs of FillFoam. A layer of polyurethane foam was then installed on top before concrete was poured.
New Construction Stabilization
PROBLEM A parkade regularly used for youth programming and other activities was awarded a donation for an expansion to be made on the 1970's building. During the construction of the addition, the area was backfilled with ¾ crushed stone to prepare for concrete to be poured. A spread footing was built and the framing was constructed for the future wall. Unfortunately, the fill was improperly compacted and could not support the weight of the footing. The project engineers and contractor were concerned that the gravel would also settle under the weight of the slab after it was poured. So they contacted their local concrete lifting and stabilization contractor. FILLFOAM SOLUTION The concrete lifting contractor team designed a plan to stabilize the gravel and increase the load bearing capacity. This plan consisted of two parts. The first part was a layer of polyurethane foam to be installed to bind together the loose gravel. HMI HF 402 was chosen because of its unique foam characteristics. The second and final stabilization technique was to install FillFoam™ to fill in around the stone and lock into place. Precision laser measuring equipment was utilized to monitor for movement and identify when foam was installed until refusal. It was very evident when installing pipes at depth that the lower layers of gravel were not compacted. Various densities of FillFoam™ were installed throughout the project. Higher densities that were more fluid were installed where further flow was required. This allowed material to flow under the stairwell. In other areas, flow was limited by installing a lower density FillFoam™. With HMI/FillFoam's engineering support, the local contractor was able to successfully stabilize the gravel for the building addition. RESULTS 1,800 lbs of HF 402 Fast were installed for the top layer. 2,119 lbs equivalent to 8 cubic yards of FillFoam™ were installed into the loose gravel. The next day, crews poured the slab over the top of the stabilized gravel.
Lake Boat Launch
PROBLEM Located on a busy lake, this boat launch has survived many seasonal changes. Seasonal trends provide high and low water levels, storm surges and ice shoves. From the surface, this appears to be a private boat launch. However what you see is not the original boat launch slab. Under this visible slab is the original slab that had settled significantly and a new ramp was poured over top. For many years, waves have crashed onto the shore line and drained back into the lake. With every wave more and more soil erosion occurred. As the shoreline began to fail, it was built up with additional rip rap. These large rocks created a stronger barrier against the waves and ice, but did not prevent water from shedding down and under the slabs. The home-owner watched year after year as more shoreline eroded under the slabs. FILLFOAM SOLUTION FillFoam™ was installed under the boat launch slabs. This material was pumped as a flowable foam. Six holes were drilled through this thick three foot slab, around five feet apart. The crew started with filling the top of the boat launch and moved down towards the water. While pumping through the bottom drilled holes, air was escaping through the cracks at the bottom of the boat launch under water creating visible bubbles at the surface. While the FillFoam™ was pumped under the slab, the foam started flowing to the other drilled holes. This process continued until all the voids under the slabs were effectively filled. RESULTS A total of 616 lbs or 88 cu ft of FillFoam™ was pumped under the boat launch. This void project was completed in 2 hours and the boat launch was ready to use immediately. FillFoam™ is hydroinsensitive, so water does not impact how the foam cures into a solid foam. After FillFoam™ cures, it is inert and will not change shape. As the waves crash onto the shore, the water can now drain naturally, uninterrupted by the foam supporting this boat launch. Unlike the soils that settled or eroded, FillFoam™ will hold strong and will not wash away. The homeowners were thrilled with this permanent solution that now supports their property and holds up to the harsh lake conditions.
Church Parking Lot Void Fill
PROBLEM This church has had drainage challenges since construction. Water shedding off of the building would flow under the slab as it traveled to the drainage system. This created a channel for water to flow under the slab. Years of water flowing through this channel allowed for soil erosion to affect the ground supporting the parking lot. Within the past 15 years the congregation elected to mudjack the void to support the slabs. Eventually the problem did arise again as the mudjacking grout eroded like the original soils, this time assisted by a leaking fire hydrant and sprinkler system. Seeking a more permanent solution, the congregation contacted a local contractor for other options. FILLFOAM SOLUTION FillFoam was installed under the voided slab. The depth of voids ranged from 2-18 inches, additionally there were up to 4 feet of weak soils below the slabs. The majority of the holes used to inject FillFoam under the slab were from the previous installation of mudjacking material. This provided a 10 foot grid pattern. Foam was pumped under the slab until it started to come up through adjacent holes and along the joints between slabs. The holes were then plugged and more foam was installed. This allowed the foam to build pressure and flow further. It also helped compact the loose soils and fill the voids under the slabs. Foam will travel the path of least resistance. Foam will not travel out other cracks, joints or holes until enough foam has been installed to build pressure and push out past the slab. RESULTS 68 cubic yards of FillFoam were installed under the parking lot to support the slab. This job was completed within 8 hours with the Hi-Volume FillFoam System. The Church group can now be confident that the material supporting their parking lot will not wash away or interfere with drainage.
Highway Overpass Void Fill
Alberta Highways had compacting soil issues leaving important structural parts exposed. Limited access prevented conventional concrete solutions. FillFoam Canada extended the vertical culvert with light gauge metal sheeting to create a tube around the I-beam, then void-filled with FillFoam™ to protect the beam while allowing required flexibility and movement. Two 1-inch access holes at the top allowed complete filling. The two-man crew completed the job in 1 day—a project that would have taken weeks with conventional methods and required deconstructing existing overpasses.
Food Production Facility Void Fill
A food production facility experienced drainage failure creating a major void 60 ft long and up to 4'x4' at the worst area, directly under the main forklift aisle. The entire factory was shut down, costing millions in downtime. Voids were identified with GPR scan, and through two injection locations, 4,947 lbs of FillFoam™ (20 cubic yards) was installed in just 1.5 hours. Within 24 hours, a trench was dug through the cured foam to install new drainage pipes, reinforced concrete was poured, and the plant reopened.