Project & Insights
Manhole Restoration – Ensure Structural Longevity
October 30, 2024
Manholes play a crucial role in providing access to underground utilities and drainage systems, especially in busy commercial areas. Over time, these structures can become damaged due to constant exposure to heavy traffic, weather conditions, and wear and tear. Recently, a manhole in front of a commercial building on Dundas St W in Toronto required restoration due to its deteriorating condition. To ensure the safety and longevity of the area, a comprehensive restoration process was carried out.
Repair Method
The repair method involved cutting a 5 ft by 5 ft section around the manhole, removing the asphalt, soil, and old brick base. A new concrete foundation was created, which was set 6 inches lower than the original base to enhance stability and improve drainage. Once the new base was in place, the asphalt and surrounding materials were carefully reinstalled, restoring the manhole to a durable, functional state.
Benefits of the Application
This method provides several advantages, such as improved structural integrity and better water management, ensuring the manhole can withstand heavy traffic and environmental challenges. Timely repairs like these are essential to avoid larger issues down the line, preventing potential hazards and maintaining the smooth operation of commercial spaces.
Learn more about a variety of concrete repair and waterproofing we offer by visiting our website: https://www.jointsealwaterproofing.com.
Related: manhole and catch basin repair · concrete repair and restoration · polyurea membranes · sidewalk and walkway repair · documented projects · common questions
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What does rust-coloured staining on a concrete wall mean?
Yellow-brown staining around a crack means water has reached the rebar inside the wall and the steel is corroding. The staining is rust washing out through the crack. It usually indicates a narrower crack than a white-stained one, because it takes less water to corrode steel than to carry calcium out, but it points to a more structural problem.
What is a sounding test on concrete?
A sounding test is tapping concrete with a specialised hammer or a metal rod and listening to the response. Solid concrete rings; delaminated concrete sounds hollow. It is the test that decides whether a crack gets injected or the surrounding area gets removed and patched, and it finds damage that looks completely sound to the eye.
What temperature is too cold for concrete repair in Toronto?
Concrete repair needs air temperature above plus five degrees Celsius, because below that ice crystals form in the substrate and no repair material will bond to them. Plus ten degrees is where most materials genuinely perform. Between five and ten, the morning-to-evening temperature swing creates enough dew that the work needs materials tolerant of a damp surface.
Do you need to find where the water is entering before injecting?
No, and that is the main advantage of the method. The resin takes the path of least resistance, which is the same route the water used, so it travels back toward the entry point on its own. On garage decks this matters because water can travel 20 feet or more under a debonded membrane before it exits at the joint.
What kind of resin is used to inject a leaking expansion joint?
A hydrophobic polyurethane injection resin — JSW uses Joint Seal Flex, manufactured in the United States for this application. It does not react with water, is heavier than water, and stays flexible after curing so the joint can keep expanding and contracting through Toronto's freeze-thaw cycles.
How long before a thin patch can be walked on or driven on?
Polymer cement patches with Polyforce Plus adhesive cure in roughly four hours, comparable to how long conventional concrete takes to set, so most repairs take foot traffic the same day. Temperature affects it, and whatever coating goes over the patch usually governs the return-to-service date rather than the patch itself.
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