Victoria Quays at Sheffield

Case Study: Victoria Quays, Sheffield

Injection waterproofing in action

Timberwise was the chosen contractor to carry out a basement dewatering system within the Victoria Quays basements which abutted the Sheffield canal. The two cellars in the past had been tanked by a previous contractor. The cementitious tanking system had over time began to crack and deteriorate allowing water to slowly penetrate through to the inside and cause flooding within the basement. The dewatering system was solely designed to remove the small amounts of water which was finding its way through the waterproof render.

Small pilot holes were drilled through the concrete floor to ensure no back pressure was present beneath the floor. This also enabled us to assess the quantities of water we could expect to enter our sump. At this point no water entered through the holes. The openings were formed in the concrete and still only small amounts of water was seen.

Once the soil beneath had been disturbed by digging with a shovel the water began to enter the sump openings. This water began to enter at a rate of about 2-3 litres per second!

A 24 hour pumping system was temporarily installed to manage the water flow. Discussions then began on ways we could stop this water, several ideas were suggested and tried. Unfortunately due to the quantity and pressure of the water they all failed.

We then called on the services of MC Building Chemicals who had suggested a foam injection waterproofing system would be the only solution. A specification was put together and a series of holes was drilled around the opening in to which packers (injection rods) were installed. The liquid foam was then pumped under pressure through the packers into the soil beneath where on contact with the water it began to react and expand (up to 30 times). After a couple of minutes the water had stopped completely giving us the opportunity to install the sump pumps and back fill with concrete.

Timberwise are an approved MC Building Chemical installer, one of only a handful of specialists in the UK with this waterproofing technology and expertise. For more information on injection waterproofing or to arrange a survey call 0800 0199 213 or click here.