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Tunnel Water Stop Injection Leak Repair

Tunnel
Water Stop
Injection
Leak Repair

Leak Sealing
Systems

Tunnel Water Stop Injection Leak Repair with Polymer Grout Injection

Introduction:

Tackling Water Leakage in Tunnels: Challenges and Solutions

Water intrusion is a persistent challenge in tunnel infrastructure, affecting safety, durability, and operational efficiency. This article explores the risks associated with water leaks in various tunnel types—utility, vehicle, subway, rail, and pedestrian tunnels—and presents advanced solutions for effective sealing and structural reinforcement.

A key focus is the use of Polymer Injection Grouts, particularly acrylate gels and polyurethane resins, which offer reliable waterproofing and long-term stability. We delve into the properties and applications of these materials, outlining a step-by-step approach to leak diagnosis, material selection, and injection techniques.

Additionally, the article highlights SealBoss’s specialized products designed for underground water ingress repair, emphasizing the critical role of proper training and equipment for successful application. Whether addressing minor seepage or severe structural leaks, this guide provides essential insights for ensuring tunnel integrity and longevity.

Tunnel Water Stop Injection Leak Repair Overview

Tunnels, essential to modern infrastructure, vary in design and function but share a common challenge—water intrusion. Below is an overview of the tunnel types most susceptible to leaks and the potential risks they face:

Utility Tunnels – These tunnels house essential systems such as electrical wiring, water pipes, and gas lines. Water infiltration can lead to pipe corrosion, electrical failures, and even hazardous gas leaks, compromising both safety and service reliability.
Vehicle Tunnels – Water seeping through tunnel walls or accumulating on road surfaces creates hazardous driving conditions. Pooled water can reduce tire traction, increasing the risk of skidding, accidents, and severe traffic disruptions.
Subway Tunnels – Built beneath densely populated urban areas, subway tunnels are highly vulnerable to leaks from surrounding soil and aging infrastructure. Persistent water intrusion can disrupt train operations, cause service delays, and lead to costly maintenance and repairs.
Rail Tunnels – Water intrusion in rail tunnels poses significant risks, particularly to electrical components and track stability. Excess moisture can weaken the track bed, cause rail misalignment, and in extreme cases, contribute to derailments.
Pedestrian Tunnels – Water leaks in pedestrian tunnels create slippery surfaces, increasing the risk of slips and falls. Persistent dampness also encourages mold and bacteria growth, leading to poor air quality and potential health hazards.

Waterproofing and leak repair solutions are essential to maintaining tunnel safety, functionality, and longevity. Addressing water intrusion early can prevent costly damage and serious operational disruptions.

How to stop leaks of high hydrostatic pressures with Injection Grouts

Water ingress can cause immediate damages as well as lead to increased project costs and may lead to many other issues down the line.

Water ingress poses both immediate and long-term challenges, driving up project costs and leading to structural deterioration if left unaddressed.

Leaks through cracks, joints, and voids can be effectively sealed using advanced injection systems that employ cost-efficient and highly reliable chemical grouts, such as multi-component acrylate gels and single-component polyurethane resins.

When properly engineered, resin injection systems do more than just stop leaks—they also stabilize surrounding soil by transforming loose sands into a firm, sandstone-like consistency and consolidating gravel into a bonded, load-bearing structure. This not only enhances the durability of the tunnel but also improves its overall resilience against future water intrusion.

Example: SealBoss Acrylates Used to Seal Leaks in Tunnel

What are Acrylate Gels?

Acrylate gels, also known as acrylic gels, are highly flexible, ultra-low viscosity, hydrophilic sealing agents designed for non-structural injections. With a consistency similar to water, they effectively penetrate cracks, joints, and voids, making them ideal for grid, curtain, and bladder injection applications, as well as use in injection tube sealing systems.

Thanks to their exceptionally low viscosity and surface tension, polyacrylate gels offer superior penetration capabilities, allowing them to reach even the smallest fissures. Their adjustable gel time enables precise application, adapting to varying job site conditions such as temperature and injection distance.

When in contact with water, acrylic gels expand hydrophilically, creating a compression seal that prevents further leakage. This swelling behavior makes them an effective solution for waterproofing applications. Additionally, acrylate injection equipment can be easily cleaned with water, simplifying maintenance.

SealBoss provides a comprehensive range of high-performance products designed to control water ingress in underground mining operations, tunnels, and other commercial structures facing leakage challenges. Our solutions support waterproofing, soil consolidation, crack and joint repair, sealing, bonding, and cavity filling, ensuring durable and long-lasting protection.

Tunnel Water Stop Injection Leak Repair

How to Start Acrylate Injection Leak Sealing Injection Repairs

The principal steps to solve a problem are:

Diagnosis of the problem
Specification of injection methods
The correct choice of resin, pumps, packers and accessories
Training of installation personnel, a well trained and experienced team is paramount

Will I need more than One Product?

That depends on the conditions of the jobsite. Polyurethane and Acrylate injection systems offer a variety of solutions to problems found in geotechnical applications, in tunneling, waterproofing underground works and civil engineering in general. While there is no single resin that will suit all conditions, the correct resin must be used to achieve the best results possible and to meet the requirements of the specification.

If there are any questions about the various chemical grouts available, please do not hesitate to contact us, we are here to assist in any way we can. Always remember to work safely by wearing eye protection and gloves when handling any type of chemical systems.

Which products are shown in the videos?

Products used for Tunnel Water Stop Injection Leak Repair

Related Article

Flooded Tunnel Repair

Call Your SealBoss Technician

If you have any questions on crack injection water stop procedures or any injection related applications, please contact our team of qualified SealBoss representatives to schedule an on site consultation & full injection systems training. Call us at 714-662-4445.

SealBoss Leak Sealing Systems

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Waterproofing Parking Structure Cracks

Waterproofing
Parking Structure Cracks

Acrylic
Gel
Injection

WATER – ESSENTIAL YET DESTRUCTIVE

Water is the foundation of life on Earth, yet it also possesses the power to erode, weaken, and destroy. Nowhere is this duality more evident than in the construction industry—particularly in the behavior of concrete.

Water is essential to concrete’s formation, enabling its chemical transformation from a fluid, workable mixture into a solid, durable structure. However, once cured, unwanted water infiltration can become a silent destroyer, corroding reinforcing steel and compromising structural integrity.

Over time, this deterioration can render concrete structures unsafe and unusable. In essence, water is both a creator and a threat—one of the simplest yet most powerful forces shaping our built environment.

This article explores how water intrusion impacts concrete structures—specifically in parking facilities—examining common vulnerabilities, potential consequences, and proven solutions to mitigate damage. By understanding these risks and applying effective waterproofing techniques, engineers and contractors can extend the lifespan of concrete structures and ensure long-term durability.

Waterproofing Parking Structure Cracks

At a parking structure in Burlingame, California, the shotcrete structure and mat slab were exhibiting signs of unwanted ingress from the water table outside of the building.

While evidence of cracking was not necessarily present, efflorescence on the interior surface of the walls told the tale that the migration of unwanted groundwater was presenting a problem.

The structure is referred to as an Automated Parking Structure where building tenants can retrieve their automobiles by entering a code at the entry point to the structure and have their vehicles essentially “delivered” to them once the internal workings of the structure retrieve the vehicle. It becomes obvious from this description of the project that water has no place in the intricate electronic systems that comprise this facility but more so on or near the vehicles that live in this structure. Something needed to be done and a certified specialized contractor was called in to get the water mitigation handled.

The construction of the concrete is something to note, particularly with respect to the steel in place at a double mat (2 layers within the walls) of #9 and #11 bars at a spacing of 24” on center each way. This reinforcing steel is a sturdy configuration –and a lot of steel — all of which is susceptible to corrosion if water is present after the shotcrete’s cure out.

That amount of steel, if subject to corrosion, could, over time lead to spalling and eventually an overall degradation of the structure if left unaddressed.

A Permanent Fix for Persistent Leaks

The SealBoss 2400 super low viscosity acrylic gel injection system was the answer for waterproofing parking cracks permanently.

The 2400 system is extremely well suited to seal structures with very fine and hairline cracks and fissures.

The 24’ high walls needing injection stood atop a 6’ thick cast-in-place mat slab and were +/- 24” thick. Extending from the tops of the walls to grade were 4’ high cast-in-place ring beams. By drilling into the walls 22” (not all the way thorough) and setting mechanical packers into the drilled holes, the delivery of the SealBoss 2400 system was now possible to as was its migration within the substrate.

The environmentally friendly SealBoss 2400 offered outstanding penetration properties similar to plain water, allowing it to permeate throughout the wall’s network of fissures, no matter how tight and narrow. In some instances, the material would shoot out of pinholes and cracks barely visible to the naked eye several feet away, further showcasing its ability to navigate the concrete’s crack and pore network thoroughly and effectively. Once gelled, the material prevented unwanted water migration to reinforcing steel within the substrate.

Mission accomplished

If there are any questions about this project in need of answering please do not hesitate to contact us, we are here to assist in any way we can. Always remember to work safely by wearing eye protection and gloves when handling any type of chemicals. We hope you enjoyed our review of the project outlined above and encourage you to explore our website to learn more about our vast array of waterproofing solutions for concrete structures.

Video – Acrylate Gel Injection SealBoss2400
Super Low Viscosity Penetration Properties

– See How SealBoss 2400 Pushes through
Finest Cracks and Fissures
– See Port to Port Injection Technique
– See Product Travel of Several Feet

SealBoss 2400 Gel Injection System

Links to Leak Sealing with SealBoss Acrylate/Acrylic Super Low Injection System

SealBoss Acrylate/Acrylic System

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Acrylate Resins

Acrylic Polymer Injection

Introduction

Acrylate resins have become a cornerstone in construction and repair due to their hydrophilic nature, flexibility, and ultra-low viscosity. These properties make them ideal for sealing and waterproofing applications, as they can easily penetrate fine cracks and adapt to structural movements.

SealBoss 2400 SealGel SLV Acrylate Gel exemplifies these advantages, offering an environmentally friendly, two-component hydrophilic polyacrylate gel with outstanding penetration properties.

Its ultra-low viscosity allows it to flow into the finest cracks and fissures, effectively sealing hairline cracks and porous structures such as masonry, cementitious grouts, blocks, and brick. This makes it particularly suitable for applications like tunnel and shaft sealing, soil stabilization, and curtain injection.

Acrylate Resins: The Ultimate Solution for Leak Sealing and Waterproofing

Acrylate resins have revolutionized the construction and repair industry, offering a highly effective, flexible, and durable solution for sealing leaks and waterproofing a variety of structures. Whether used for crack injection, curtain injection, soil stabilization, or infrastructure repairs, acrylate resins provide a long-lasting, reliable seal that adapts to the needs of different environments. These resins are particularly valued for their hydrophilic nature, ultra-low viscosity, and adjustable gel time, making them ideal for applications where precision and adaptability are critical.

Acrylate Resins are a popular choice in construction and repair work, and here is why:

Hydrophilic Nature: One of the standout features of acrylate resins is their ability to absorb and interact with water. This property makes them highly effective in wet environments, as they actively seek out moisture to form a watertight seal. This is particularly useful in applications such as tunnel waterproofing, underground construction, and dam repairs.
Exceptional Flexibility: Acrylate Gels are super flexible, perfect for non-structural injection into cracks, gaps, and other spaces. This flexibility ensures that the seal remains intact despite shifts or structural movements, reducing the risk of recurring leaks. Whether it’s crack injection, injection hoses, compartment setups, or large area injections, such as grid or curtain injection, acrylate resins have got you covered.
Ultra-Low Viscosity for Maximum Penetration: Acrylate resins have a water-like consistency, allowing them to penetrate microcracks and porous materials that other sealants might miss. This super-low viscosity ensures deep penetration and complete coverage, making them an excellent choice for hairline crack injection, soil stabilization, and waterproofing porous substrates like concrete and masonry.
Adjustable Gel Time for Precise Application: Depending on site conditions such as temperature, injection distance, and material porosity, the gel time of acrylate resins can be adjusted to slow down or speed up the curing process. This makes them versatile and suitable for different application scenarios, from rapid-response leak sealing to long-distance injection in extensive underground networks.
Hydrophilic Swelling for Leak-Proof Seals: Acrylate resins exhibit a swelling effect upon contact with water, ensuring a tight, durable seal that remains effective even under fluctuating conditions. This makes them the go-to solution for water-bearing concrete structures, basements, and retaining walls.
Eco-Friendly and Easy Cleanup: Spills or excess? SealBoss 2400 acrylate resin formulation is water-based and environmentally friendly, reducing the impact on the surrounding ecosystem. Additionally, any uncured excess material or spills can be easily cleaned with water, making them user-friendly and safe to work with.

In short, if you’re looking to seal or repair water bearing concrete structures, Acrylate Resins might just be your best bet!

SealBoss 2400 Acrylate Gel Resin – A Premium Solution

SealBoss 2400 is a high-performance, super flexible and ultra-low viscosity injection alternative in the world of Water Stop and Leak Sealing:

Key Features of SealBoss 2400

Super Flexible & Ultra-Low Viscosity: SealBoss 2400 offers an exceptionally fluid consistency, allowing it to reach the smallest cracks and gaps while maintaining long-term flexibility. This prevents future leaks by ensuring comprehensive penetration and adaptation to movement within the structure. The added flexibility is crucial as it allows the resin to adapt and move with the natural expansion and contraction of materials, reducing the risk of future leaks or damage.
Hydrophilic Acrylic Formulation: SealBoss 2400 is designed to produce a robust yet flexible gel gasket, making it ideal for handling expansion joints, curtain injection, and compartmentalized waterproofing systems.
Versatility in Application: Whether it is for a primary injection, a secondary pass to tighten up, or for injection tubes, SealBoss 2400 is your go-to solution.
High Performance & Durability: This advanced resin provides long-lasting waterproofing, preventing leaks even in the most demanding conditions. It is widely used in subway tunnels, underground parking garages, and infrastructure repairs.
Eco-Friendly Water-Based Formulation: SealBoss 2400 is a sustainable and environmentally responsible choice, offering high-performance sealing.

Why Choose Acrylate Resins for Your Next Project?

When it comes to sealing cracks, waterproofing structures, and preventing leaks, acrylate resins are unmatched in their performance, adaptability, and longevity.

Their hydrophilic nature, flexibility, and ultra-low viscosity make them ideal for a wide range of applications, from industrial infrastructure to residential waterproofing.

By choosing high-quality acrylate resins like SealBoss 2400, professionals can ensure durable, watertight, and environmentally friendly solutions that stand the test of time. Whether you’re working on leak-sealing tunnels, strengthening foundation walls, or repairing water-damaged structures, acrylate resins offer a proven and reliable approach to waterproofing and structural protection.

For the best results, always select premium-grade acrylate resins from trusted manufacturers like SealBoss, ensuring superior performance, ease of use, and long-term durability.

With SealBoss 2400, you are selecting efficiency, ultra low viscosity, user friendliness, and excellence all in one package!

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