Injection of Cracks Contaminated with Oil

In 1996, the steel making and rolling mill of the company Hoogoven in Beverwijk/ Netherlands was faced with unwelcome "oil deposits". Due to defects the oil, which is required in large quantities for operating the mills, had leaked and penetrated the concrete through cracks and porous areas up to the supply lines. Thus the entire production was put at risk.

To avert this danger WEBAC_® 4170 was used to repair the areas concerned step by step. First of all, the contaminated areas were superficially cleaned with soapsuds. Drill holes were then made laterally into the cracks and gravel nests and WEBAC_® Injection Packers without injection fittings installed. The cleaned areas were then patched at a thickness of approx. 2 mm with the filler WEBAC_® 4525 which is resistant to dampness. Following the curing process the first injection packer was provided with an injection fitting and water was injected until clean water emerged at the next packer which meant that the entire crack was filled with water. After this "preliminary injection procedure" the injection fittings were removed again and WEBAC_® 4170 was injected in the same manner.

This way crack injections obtaining structural strength were carried out since this special injection resin binds both water and oil without forming an emulsion. Now production in the steel mill is going well again.