Soil Densification after Fire Suppression System Failure

The Challenge

Fire suppression system failure led to voids and unstable warehouse floors.

The failure of a fire suppression system outside of a commercial building in Ontario created immediate and serious structural concerns. The malfunction released water under high pressure, leading to localized flooding around the building. This sudden flow undermined the footings near the exterior wall and compromised the stability of the interior slab-on-grade (SOG) floor. Engineers also raised concerns about the soil conditions beneath the building, noting that the extent of water intrusion may have weakened soils at deeper levels. Left unaddressed, the compromised soils and slab could have resulted in uneven settlement, loss of structural support, and ongoing safety hazards within the facility.

Key Facts

The Solution

Deep soil injection for soil densification.

Groundworks was brought in to stabilize the affected soils and restore the warehouse floor. To address the engineers’ concerns, the team performed targeted deep soil injections. Deep soil injection is the process where roads are inserted to predetermined depths and polyurethane is injected to stabilize soils farther down. Crews prepared and placed five injection points at one meter intervals, injecting at both one and two meter depths in the immediate area of the washout. This deep soil injection strategy ensured the treatment extended into the soils that had been most affected by the flooding. In addition to densifying soils at depth, Groundworks drilled into the remaining SOG floor slab throughout the warehouse. High-performance polyurethane was injected beneath the slab to fill hidden voids, stabilize the subgrade, and restore the slab’s load-bearing capacity.

The Impact

Densified soils to support warehouse demands.

The soil densification service successfully delivered Groundworks’ specialized materials to the critical depths of one and two meters, where they expanded and compacted the surrounding soil. This process locked the treated soils together, significantly improving their load-bearing capacity and ensuring long-term stability. By void filling beneath the SOG floor slab, crews eliminated hidden gaps and created a strong, uniform base to support both the slab and the heavy loads expected during warehouse operations.

The work was completed efficiently, addressing both immediate structural concerns and the engineers’ long-term performance requirements. The property owner now has peace of mind knowing that the affected areas of the facility are stabilized, secure, and capable of withstanding future operational demands.