Treatment Procedures.
Step-by-step waterproofing, structural repair and rehabilitation methods, grouped by the chemistry they use, each mapped to the Armstrong products that carry it out. Select a treatment to view the full procedure and product recommendations.
Machine Base Plate Grouting
Non-shrink cementitious grout or free-flow epoxy grout under base plates
Applications
Procedure
- Choose the grout. A general machine base with moderate vibration in a dry setting takes RAPIDSTRONG GROUT POWDER (GP2). Constant vibration or impact (forging presses, compressors, turbines), or oil, coolant and chemical spillage under the plate, takes the free-flow epoxy grout RAPIDSTRONG GROUT EP 403.
- Prepare the surfaces. The concrete must be sound and free of oil, grease, laitance and dust; clean with air blowers and a water jet. Clean the underside of the plate. For epoxy grout, shot-blast the steel free of rust; wire brushing is not the same standard.
- Fix the anchor bolts in drilled holes with RAPIDSTRONG AG, then level and align the machine on its packers or jacking bolts before grouting. The grout fills the gap; it does not level the machine.
- Provide air vents and build leak-proof formwork sealed with rubber strips, no more than 150 mm from the plate on the pouring side and 50 mm on the other sides.
- Measure the actual gap after levelling and pick the mix. Cementitious: 3.76 litres of water per 20 kg bag of GP2 for a flowable mix or 3.36 litres for a pourable mix, mixed at least 5 minutes; keep the concrete damp with no standing water. Epoxy: keep the surface dry. 0.1 to 10 mm gaps take resin and hardener only (Part 1 : Part 2 = 1 kg : 500 g); 10 to 70 mm gaps take the 1 : 3 mix with Armstrong silica filler; gaps over 70 mm take the 1 : 2 : 1.5 mix with 10 to 20 mm graded aggregate.
- Mix epoxy with a slow-speed stirrer for 2 to 5 minutes until the colour is uniform, then add the filler. Mix only what can be placed in the pot life: about 20 minutes at 30°C for the 1 : 3 mix. Assign one crew to mix and another to pour.
- Pour continuously from one side so the grout pushes the air out ahead of it. Have enough material and batches ready before the first pour; a break leaves a cold joint. Place cementitious grout within 20 minutes of mixing and tap the formwork to release air.
- Cure. Water-cure cementitious grout for at least 7 days after removing the formwork. Protect epoxy grout from disturbance and water until it has gained strength; minimum hardening temperature is 10°C. Release the machine when the engineer allows.
Important Suggestions
Example: a forging plant base plate with a 30 mm average gap under heavy impact and oil was grouted with RAPIDSTRONG GROUT EP 403 in the 1 : 3 mix, which reaches 72 N/mm² in one day, so the machine went back into service quickly. For a trowelled machine mortar bed, ROOFCRETE EP over a ROOFBOND EP bond coat is the alternative. GP2 goes in a single pour up to 100 mm; above that add 10 mm aggregate at 50 to 100% of the grout weight. For solvents or concentrated chemicals, ask Armstrong's technical team before specifying.
Why This Treatment?
The grout carries every kilogram of load and every impact into the foundation, locks the alignment and damps vibration. Non-shrink grout stays in full contact with the plate. Epoxy adds resistance to impact, fatigue, oil, grease and mild acids, with low creep under sustained load, where cement grout would fatigue or soak up oil and degrade.
Recommended Products
Non-shrink cementitious precision grout; 70 N/mm² at 28 days (79 with aggregate); 2 million fatigue cycles.
Free-flow epoxy machine grout, three formulations from 0.1 mm to over 70 mm; up to 91 N/mm² at 7 days; ASTM C881.
Three-part epoxy machine mortar and concrete for 10 to 75 mm beds, 93 N/mm² at 7 days.
Epoxy bond coat under an epoxy mortar bed.
Chemical anchor grout for the foundation bolts.
Additive for site-mixed non-shrink cement grout.
Polymer grout additive.
Dosage & Coverage
Related Solution Guides
Need this for your project?
Technical support and product recommendations from Armstrong's engineers. Toll free 1800 103 2034.