Top 14 How To Detect Voids Under Concrete The 67 Detailed Answer

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To detect voids under concrete, mudjacking contractors use a high-frequency, ground penetrating radar system. The GPR equipment sends a radio pulse down into the ground. When the transmission reaches an anomaly in the soil, a reflected signal is sent to the receiver.A type of sand-cement slurry (called “mud” in the industry) can be used to fill voids under concrete slabs. This mixture of sand, cement, and water is pumped through holes drilled in a slab foundation to fill voids underneath.GPR technology is very effective in identifying areas with changes in physical properties, including potentially hazardous voids. Voids can be either air or water filled; each type of void has a very different GPR signature compared to typical highway materials.

How do you fill a void under a slab?

A type of sand-cement slurry (called “mud” in the industry) can be used to fill voids under concrete slabs. This mixture of sand, cement, and water is pumped through holes drilled in a slab foundation to fill voids underneath.

Can GPR detect voids?

GPR technology is very effective in identifying areas with changes in physical properties, including potentially hazardous voids. Voids can be either air or water filled; each type of void has a very different GPR signature compared to typical highway materials.

What causes concrete voids?

The air voids are caused by air trapped between the mold surface and the concrete. They generally appear in low slump concrete and can be found underneath irregular (non-spherical) shaped pieces of crushed aggregate. This is a result of having too little mortar to fill the spaces around the aggregate.

What is a void under concrete?

Voids under concrete slabs are caused by various things including, Erosion – Excess water around a concrete slab leads to soil erosion and then voids. Two common causes of erosion are drainage issues and leaky plumbing. Soil settlement – Soil settlement is another cause of voids under a slab.

What is the best fill under concrete?

Gravel and sand compacts best with a drum roller or a vibrating plate compactor. Cohesive soil can best be compacted using a vibrating sheepsfoot roller or a rammer. For small projects, or around the edges, pipes, or columns, a plate compactor provides good compaction for sand or gravel.

Can spray foam lift concrete?

Polyurethane foam is great for leveling concrete. As the foam is injected under the concrete, it moves and expands. As the foam expands it fills any holes, cracks, and crevices beneath the concrete slab. Once voids are filled, the foam begins to lift the sunken concrete.

How do you find voids underground?

A void detection survey using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is a low risk method to scan an area of ground and determine the location and extents of underground voids, sinkholes and subsidence.

How do you test for underground voids?

We recommend working with a local geoscientist to help you do a geophysical test. Specifically, we’ll be talking about testing via an Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI) survey. There are a few other ways to test for sinkholes—such as Cone Penetrometer Tests or Standard Penetration Tests.

What does a void look like on GPR?

High frequency, high resolution Ground Penetrating Radar systems are the answer. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) can be a useful tool for determining voids underneath a slab. Like the image shown above, voids reveal themselves under a slab with GPR by exhibiting a sharply contrasting black-white banding.

How do you fill erosion under concrete?

Fixing Erosion Under Concrete

The best way to fix erosion under concrete is to fill voids with material that’s resistant to erosion. This is usually done with the slab jacking process. Scritchlow Concrete Lifting and Slab Jacking uses only crushed limestone and Portland cement which is not susceptible to erosion.

What are the effects of voids in concrete?

Intentionally entrained air voids improve the resistance of concrete to damage from cycles of freezing and thawing. Any air voids reduce the strength of concrete, with about a 5% reduction in strength for each 1% increase in the volume of air voids. Air voids, however, also improve the workability of concrete.

What causes small holes in concrete?

Problem:Small pop outs or holes that occur on concrete slabs are often the result of lignite or shale carbons that were in the sand when the concrete was mixed. The lignite or shale particles are lightweight and float near the surface of the slab when the concrete is installed and troweled.

How do you fill an air pocket in concrete?

It is used to fill in the small air bubbles in the surface of the concrete.
  1. Step 1 – Polish surface if desired. …
  2. Step 2 – Mix Slurry. …
  3. Step 3 – Apply Slurry. …
  4. Step 4 -Wait for it to Cure. …
  5. Step 5 – Wipe Up Slurry.

Why does my concrete sound hollow?

Hollow sounds indicate the top surface of the floor has separated from the underlying concrete. “Sounding” by either tapping with a hammer or dragging a heavy chain and listening to the resulting sound are the easiest and primary means to detect and map delaminated floors.

How do you raise a sunken concrete slab?

You have three options: coat the sunken section with a sand-and-cement mixture to make the surface higher, raise the sunken section using a process called mudjacking, or raise the sunken section using expanding polyurethane foam. Patching fixes the safety issue without costing much, but the patch is sure to show.

Why do you put crushed rock under concrete mixture?

Because concrete is a very porous material, it will absorb any moisture that it contacts. This can cause pooling. Without crushed stone, pooling water will settle under it and erode your slab. Adding a layer of crushed stone will add proper drainage, as well as create a barrier between your slab and the ground.

What is void filling?

Void Fill: The Basics

Simply put, void fill packaging fills up the excess space—the void—around a product in a box. This provides adequate cushioning and protection during shipping and storage.


Solving for Why: Detecting Voids in Slabs with Ground Penetrating Radar
Solving for Why: Detecting Voids in Slabs with Ground Penetrating Radar


How Do Mudjacking Contractors Detect Voids Under Concrete? | Lift Right Concrete

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Void Detection with Ground Penetrating Radar

Interpreting the Ground Penetrating Radar Data

Do Voids Under Concrete Return After Mudjacking

How Do Mudjacking Contractors Detect Voids Under Concrete? | Lift Right Concrete
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How to Fill a Void Under a Concrete Slab – Fixing Erosion Under Foundation – URETEK ICR Gulf Coast – Houston, TX

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Quick Note on DIY Concrete Void Filling

Causes of Voids Under Concrete Slabs

Does a Void Under Your Slab Foundation Need to be Repaired

How to Fill a Void Under a Concrete Slab

Contact URETEK Today for Foundation Void Filling in Houston

How to Fill a Void Under a Concrete Slab - Fixing Erosion Under Foundation - URETEK ICR Gulf Coast - Houston, TX
How to Fill a Void Under a Concrete Slab – Fixing Erosion Under Foundation – URETEK ICR Gulf Coast – Houston, TX

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How to Fill a Void Under a Concrete Slab – Fixing Erosion Under Foundation – URETEK ICR Gulf Coast – Houston, TX

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Quick Note on DIY Concrete Void Filling

Causes of Voids Under Concrete Slabs

Does a Void Under Your Slab Foundation Need to be Repaired

How to Fill a Void Under a Concrete Slab

Contact URETEK Today for Foundation Void Filling in Houston

How to Fill a Void Under a Concrete Slab - Fixing Erosion Under Foundation - URETEK ICR Gulf Coast - Houston, TX
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    The only way to know for sure was to drill and gather ground-truth information. Upon drilling, vos were discovered under the concrete slab that coinced with … …
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Voids Under Concrete – Find Them with GPR

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  • Summary of article content: Articles about Voids Under Concrete – Find Them with GPR Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) can be a useful tool for determining vos underneath a slab. Like the image shown above, vos reveal themselves under a slab … …
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What is a Concrete Void and How to Detect it | Xradar

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What is a Concrete Void and How to Detect it | Xradar
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How Do Concrete Lifting Contractors Find Voids Under Concrete? | Lift-Up Concrete

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  • Summary of article content: Articles about How Do Concrete Lifting Contractors Find Voids Under Concrete? | Lift-Up Concrete How do concrete lifting contractors detect vos? Well, it’s easy to tell there’s a vo if the concrete is sinking. But to be able to tell how … …
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How Do Concrete Lifting Contractors Find Voids Under Concrete? | Lift-Up Concrete
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how to detect voids under concrete

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  • Summary of article content: Articles about how to detect voids under concrete FIGURE 1 Propagation of microwave pulses through a concrete pavement without and with a vo under the concrete slab. Page 2. 2. TABLE 1 DIELEC1RIC CONSTANTS. …
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How Do Mudjacking Contractors Detect Voids Under Concrete?

Mudjacking contractors lift and stabilize sunken concrete by using a cement slurry to fill voids in the underlying soil. Once the gaps are filled, pressure elevates and returns the concrete to a fixed, level position.

Voids under concrete aren’t visible, which is why homeowners and businesses usually don’t realize they have a problem until a slab sinks or develops cracks.

So, how do professional mudjacking contractors know where to pump the cement mixture? Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is the key. Here’s how the technology works.

Void Detection with Ground Penetrating Radar

To detect voids under concrete, mudjacking contractors use a high-frequency, ground penetrating radar system.

The GPR equipment sends a radio pulse down into the ground. When the transmission reaches an anomaly in the soil, a reflected signal is sent to the receiver. The process is quick, accurate and inexpensive, and allows the contractor to effectively complete the repair process.

Interpreting the Ground Penetrating Radar Data

Not every reflected radio signal indicates a soil void. GPR also detects other subsurface structures, including underground utilities, pipes, tension cables, storage tanks and boulders.

So, how do mudjacking contractors tell the difference?

When GPR signals travel through different types of matter, the time it takes for the radio pulse to be reflected back to the receiver varies. Concrete, metal, PVC, wood, rock, soil voids and other subsurface materials can be identified through their unique dielectric and conductive properties.

These properties are displayed on the GPR unit’s LCD screen. Understanding the results can be a challenge because the data is presented as a wavy line map, not as actual images of the underground soil voids and objects. However, professional mudjacking contractors are highly-trained and can easily interpret the GPR data.

Do Voids Under Concrete Return After Mudjacking?

The specialized mudjacking mixture used to fill soil voids is incredibly strong and stable enough to keep the restored concrete slab in place for many years. In most cases, concrete lifting repairs last for about a decade, which is a great value, given how mudjacking is the cheapest method for fixing sunken concrete.

Mudjacking is definitely not a short-term fix. However, this approach to repair doesn’t eliminate the possibility that voids under concrete will return. If your property has poor soil conditions – such as inadequate compaction, erosion or expansive clay soil – voids may redevelop over time. In addition, if problems like tree root growth, burrowing animals and underground plumbing leaks aren’t addressed, future void development is more likely.

Do you have sunken concrete? If your home or business is in the greater Salt Lake City area, the professional mudjacking contactors at Lift Right Concrete can provide you with an expert repair at an affordable price.

Let Lift Right Concrete, the leading Northern Utah residential and commercial concrete lifting company, restore the integrity and stability of your sunken concrete. Contact our Grantsville or West Jordan today to schedule a consultation with Salt Lake City’s preferred mudjacking contractors.

How to Fill a Void Under a Concrete Slab

If you’re noticing signs that your slab foundation may have an underlying void, there are several next steps that you can take. You may research DIY solutions, investigate nearby foundation experts, or decide to postpone further work.

If you know what happens if you don’t fix foundation problems, you may try to act sooner than later. This article will walk you through some potential causes, and how to fix a void under a concrete slab foundation.

Quick Note on DIY Concrete Void Filling

Foundation repair can sometimes be an expensive, yet unavoidable process. After spotting drywall cracks that keep coming back, gaps between your foundation and wall, or a door frame that’s pulling away from the wall, you may suspect that you’ve got an issue. In your mind, learning some sort of DIY concrete void filling technique could fix all your problems.

At URETEK ICR Gulf Coast, we recommend you trust our experienced foundation repair contractors in Houston with your repairs the first time around. DIY techniques may be suitable for low-risk areas like walkways, but can significantly draw out the process of fixing erosion under your high-risk concrete slab.

So, we urge you to move past your attempt to DIY fill a void under your concrete slab and go with the professionals.

Causes of Voids Under Concrete Slabs

There are two main culprits to voids under a slab foundation, and they both revolve around moisture. In some instances, these causes are unavoidable. However, there are some cases in which you can help prevent these problems from leading to foundation damage.

Erosion from Plumbing Leaks or Poor Water Drainage

If your foundation wasn’t built to drain water away from your slab foundations, there is an increased chance of topsoil erosion that can cause a void under your foundation.

Poor drainage channels and improper foundation sloping can result in a loss of structurally important foundation soil. Many times, this leads to the formation of voids beneath concrete slab foundations.

Faulty under-slab plumbing can also contribute to the formation of voids. Water build-up from leaky pipes underneath building structures will trigger further soil erosion.

Soil Settlement

Cracks in your walls and ceilings can be due to standard house settling but are sometimes symptoms of more serious problems. Major soil settlement can cause voids under concrete slabs. Soil settlement develops slowly and is worsened by the erosive behavior of poorly drained water.

For some drainage tips, see our blog post about ways to prevent soil erosion around your house foundation.

Does a Void Under Your Slab Foundation Need to be Repaired?

Voids underneath concrete slab foundations can lead to settlement. Settlement can cause several symptoms including:

Buckling walls

Tilted/leaning walls

Uneven floors with dips and bowls

Complete foundation disruption

These signs of foundation issues indicate an urgent need for remediation measures to regain the structural integrity of your building foundation.

How to Fill a Void Under a Concrete Slab

There are three main techniques that professionals use to fill voids under concrete slabs.

Mudjacking

A type of sand-cement slurry (called “mud” in the industry) can be used to fill voids under concrete slabs. This mixture of sand, cement, and water is pumped through holes drilled in a slab foundation to fill voids underneath. While this type of slab jacking can be cost-effective, there are some potential drawbacks to going for this type of repair.

Void penetration is not always exhaustive, and this can result in future damage.

The curing time for the filled concrete is extensive (approximately two to three weeks depending on airflow).

Cementitious slurry is heavy and can be time-consuming to dig through should under slab plumbing repairs on plumbing be needed in the future.

Check out our blog post to learn more about mudjacking vs. polyurethane foam jacking.

Foam Injection

This innovative method of foundation void filling uses polyurethane foam to achieve slab stability. This high-density foam is injected into small holes drilled into your concrete slab. Upon injection, the polyurethane foam chemical reacts causing an expansion to fill and seal void defects.

Polyurethane foam void filling has the following advantages:

A characteristic specific to URETEK’s polymer, it is unaffected by the presence of water or highly saturated soil. This can be especially beneficial if voids are holding water.

Minimal downtime with repaired slabs almost immediately usable after repair.

URETEK’s polyurethane foam can consolidate both organic and inorganic material, increasing the stability of the foundation soil.

Penetrates hard to reach void areas that mud slurry sometimes cannot.

Sectional Slab Repair

Instead of slab jacking, sectional slab repair involves repairing discrete sections of your damaged concrete slab.

After identifying the void under your slab, the concrete over that area can be broken up to provide access to the void. The void is then filled with sand and sealed with a concrete mixture that is level with your slab. Sand filling must be properly compacted so that your under-slab void doesn’t reform.

Contact URETEK Today for Foundation Void Filling in Houston

URETEK is dedicated to providing the highest quality Houston foundation repair services. With our unique foam foundation repair technology for filling voids, you can rest assured that we’ll meet and exceed your foundation repair and maintenance needs.

To learn more about our highly effective foundation repair techniques, please contact us online today to schedule a free estimate!

How Can I Eliminate Surface Voids in Concrete?

Surface voids (small holes, also known as bug holes or pitting) found on the surface of concrete castings have affected anyone who has ever cast concrete. Castings with a significant number of voids must be post finished or discarded, resulting in wasted product, time and labor. Understanding the causes of surface voids and what can be done to minimize them is the first step to a more efficient and productive casting operation.

The following information has been compiled through our experience with professionals who cast concrete for a living. Some of the tricks found here are results of many years of research and development. Although one may not find all the answers here, many of the common problems encountered when casting concrete will be addressed.

Question: What are surface voids?

Answer:

Surface voids are the cavities or little holes that appear on the surface of concrete castings. Surface voids (commonly known as pitting) are referred to as “bug holes” or “fish eyes”. These voids may produce an unacceptable appearance on the surface of the finished casting.

Question: How are surface voids caused?

Answer:

Surface voids are generally attributed to the following three factors: release agent, water or air (sometimes a combination of the three).

Question: How does a release agent affect the surface of a concrete casting?

Answer:

Release agents act as a “lubricant” between the mold and the concrete itself. The proper application of a release agent will yield castings without surface voids. However, when a release agent is over applied, it may “pool” or “puddle” on the lower extremities of the mold. As the concrete is poured into the mold these pools prevent the concrete from filling in all the detail. When the casting is removed from the mold voids will be apparent in the areas where pooling occurred. Vibration magnifies this problem by forcing additional release agent into the lower extremities of the mold. Voids caused by too much release agent are recognizable as small spherical voids on the surface of the finished casting. These voids usually measure about 1/8″ (.31 cm).

Question: How does water cause surface voids?

Answer:

Similar to release agents, water is also trapped against the mold’s working surface resulting in voids. As the concrete cures and the residual water evaporates, a cavity is left behind on the surface of the casting. Vibration also tends to force water from the cementious material, however most voids caused by water are a result of a high water to cement ratio. Similar to release agents, water is also trapped against the mold’s working surface resulting in voids. As the concrete cures and the residual water evaporates, a cavity is left behind on the surface of the casting. Vibration also tends to force water from the cementious material, however most voids caused by water are a result of a high water to cement ratio.

Question: How does air cause surface voids on my finished concrete casting?

Answer:

In most circumstances, air voids have an irregular shape and tend to be much larger (1/2″ or 1.27 cm.) than those caused by water or release agents. The air voids are caused by air trapped between the mold surface and the concrete. They generally appear in low slump concrete and can be found underneath irregular (non-spherical) shaped pieces of crushed aggregate.

This is a result of having too little mortar to fill the spaces around the aggregate. Voids caused by air may also be found in castings that have severe undercuts.

How To Eliminate Voids In A Concrete Casting:

While many variables must be considered in the elimination of surface voids or bug holes in concrete castings, there are a number of precautions that can remedy this unsightly problem.

Careful preparation and methodical practices can eliminate even the worst of surface voids. The following section describes procedures and materials that will produce finished castings that even the most discerning eye will accept.

Question: Will adding more mortar to the concrete assist in reducing surface voids?

Answer:

Yes. Increasing the amount of mortar in the cementious material will help make the material more fluid. A mixture that has a higher mortar content will assist in encapsulation of the aggregate. By encapsulating the aggregate, mortar also provides a chimney or venting system that will allow air and water bubbles to escape from the mixture. During vibration these bubbles will rise through the mortar and escape through the opening of your mold. A higher mortar content in your mixture also allows larger pieces of aggregate to easily move during vibration and thereby release any air that may have been trapped.

Question: What will happen to my casting if I use a larger aggregate?

Answer:

Using a larger aggregate may cause more surface voids because air is entrapped under the irregular shapes of this material. There is also a larger volume of voids between larger aggregate pieces than smaller pieces. It is therefore recommended that a smaller aggregate be used or that a smaller aggregate be mixed with the larger particles. The smaller aggregate will act as a “roller system” to assist in turning the larger pieces of aggregate during vibration. It is recommended to use aggregate that passes through a number 50, 100 or 200 sieve.

Question: Does the type of cement I use in my mixture make a difference?

Answer:

Cement acts as a lubricant during vibration and allows larger pieces of aggregate to move around freely. Therefore it is recommended that a very fine cement be used to achieve a more fluid consistency. Fly ash, which is finer than cement particles, will increase the lubricity of the cement even further.

Question: What precautions should I take if my concrete has a low water-cement ratio?

Answer:

If the concrete you are casting has a low water-cement ratio, more mixing time will ensure that water and air bubbles are forced away from the aggregate and thereby eliminate the voids on the casting surface. Low water-cement ratio concrete also requires an increased vibration period.

Question: I’ve heard that adding plasticizers to my concrete mixture will help eliminate surface voids. Is this true?

Answer:

Yes. The addition of plasticizers are used effectively in creating large slump increases. The benefit of using a plasticizer is that these large increases can be attained without effecting the water-cement ratio. The result of increasing the slump will assist air, water and aggregate to move more freely throughout the mixture. Although plasticizers will permit a large increase in slump, the concrete will begin to set much quicker. This means that there is a much smaller time period for the concrete to be vibrated. In order to eliminate surface voids from appearing we recommend using a release agent in tandem with plasticizers. The release agent will allow the concrete to move freely and force voids away from the surface of the casting

Question: What type of mold or form material should I use?

Answer:

Form or mold surfaces be as smooth as possible to decrease the surface tension between the concrete and the mold. Rubber molds are being used more and more for just this reason. The proper release used on a rubber mold will give the best possible surface.

Question: I’m vibrating the concrete, but still have bug holes in the casting?

Answer:

This occurs because air and water bubbles are the lightest elements of the concrete and will naturally flow to the most fluid portion of the mix. It just happens that this area is next to vibrator. So if you are using an external vibrator, the form or mold should be hammered. Hammering allows the mortar to flow toward the area being hit, consequently pushing air and water bubbles to the opening of your mold. This technique is recommended for molds with deep undercuts, where air and water bubbles tend to be predominate.

Question: How beneficial are release agents?

Answer:

Not only do release agents assist in eliminating surface voids, they also prolong the life of your mold. However, choosing the correct release agent and proper application are extremely critical. Various release agents will provide different surface finishes of your concrete casting. We recommend a chemically active release agent.

The amount of release that is applied to the mold or form will greatly effect the surface of your casting. Excess release agent tends to consolidate into spheres that cause bug holes. Too much release agent can be evidenced by voids on the lower portions of your casting. Applying release agent in a thin coat will eliminate these voids.

Helpful Hints To Void Free Casting:

As any professional caster will tell you casting concrete is not an exact science. There are many variables and therefore no way to ensure void free castings. Voids can be minimized, however, and the following hints are offered to improve your chances for success.

Hint # 1

Extend the mix time to help break up any residual air or water bubbles. This will promote a more uniform and workable consistency.

Hint # 2

Make sure to that release agents are applied in thin films. This will eliminated any pooling or puddling in the lower portions of your mold.

Hint # 3

Lower the viscosity of cement by adding sand or fly ash. This allows large aggregate to move more freely and reduces the amount of air entrapment.

Hint # 4

Use aggregate that is more uniform in shape. Irregular shaped pieces of aggregate tend to make the concrete less fluid.

Hint # 5

Techniques used during vibration can eliminate most surface voids. Vibrating both the outside and inside of your mold will draw most air and water bubbles away from the surface of the concrete. Hammering the mold can eliminate any residual voids.

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