Page 27 - Practical Machinery Management for Process Plants Major Process Equipment Maintenance and Repair

12 Major Process Equipment Maintenance and Repair

Grouting Overview’

Epoxy Grout

1. Timing and proper mixing are the keys to successful grouting. The
grout supplier’s instructions must be followed implicitly. Before
mixing the various components, everything else should be ready-
surfaces cleaned and dry, forms completed and sealed, pushing
tools, rags, cleaning solvents available, and adequate manpower
allocated.

Note: In general, epoxy grout is flammable, toxic, poisonous, and
corrosive. Therefore, material should be kept away from open
flame, high heat sources, or sparks. It should be mixed in a well-
ventilated area. Workmen should wear eye protection, gloves, and
protective clothing at all times during mixing and placing of grout
and aggregate.

2. Grout forms should be built of materials of adequate strength and
should be securely anchored and shored to withstand the pressure
of the grout under working conditions.

Epoxy grout forms must be coated with a paste wax, e.g., colored
floor type wax, on areas that will come in contact with the grout to
keep them from becoming bonded to the grout. All wax should be
removed from the concrete, baseplate, or soleplate before grout-
ing. To permit easy clean-up, wax or cover all surfaces where
grout may splash.

Forms should be liquid tight because epoxy grout will flow
through even the smallest opening. Any open spaces or cracks in
forms or at the joint between forms and the foundation should be
sealed off using rags, cotton, foam rubber, caulking compound,
etc .

Because of epoxy grout’s higher compressive and tensile strengths
and its readiness to bond to metals, the top of the grout outside the
baseplate or soleplate should be brought up along the side of the
baseplate or soleplate to give some protection against lateral
movement. The top of the grout on baseplates with flange-type
support should be at the top of the flange. The top of the grout on

* Refer to blume 3 for a detailed discussion of grouting procedures.