Industry Comparisons
How does Poly-Triplex compare with other types of rehabilitation methods?
Spray Applied Epoxy:
Applied properly spray-on epoxy coating can provide some protection from chemical corrosion. However, epoxy spray coatings
require that all active infiltration is stopped with concrete patching or chemical grout injection and the host structure
must be completely dried before application. The heat generated during the epoxy curing process causes air bubbles behind
the coating to expand and rupture, leaving microscopic pinholes in the epoxy coating. Sewer gasses are able to seep through
and lead to failure of the epoxy coating and deterioration in the surface wall as shown in the photo above. Also thickness
of the coating is determined by the discretion of applicator at the jobsite.
The Poly-Triplex system may be installed in structures with active infiltration and the inner membrane provides a non-porous,
gas impermeable barrier protecting the structure from future chemical attack. Liner thickness is determined and controlled at
the manufacturing facility, not left to chance with the applicator at the jobsite.
Polyurethane coatings:
Polyurethane is very chemical resistant. However, the coating requires that all active infiltration is stopped with concrete
patching or chemical grout injection and the host structure must be completely dry before application. During the drying process,
the polyurethane coating shrinks and becomes hollow as is pulls off the structure and in essence, “masking” the problem of future
infiltration that will run down behind the material undetected and leaking into the structure where the coating ends. Infiltration
and deterioration is inevitable.
The Poly-Triplex system bonds to the surface of the host structure. The curing process is done under air pressure, so the resins are
literally pressed into the surface, cracks and crevices of the structure, providing a chemical and mechanical bond between the
liner materials and the wall. No infiltration can leak between the liner and the wall.
Spray applied cement coatings:
Cement Coatings do provide structural enhancement to the structure, but do not solve the problem of active infiltration because
the host structure typically will have stress cracks and will re-crack again in the cement coating. These coatings are also still
subject to future chemical attack as was the original structure.
The Poly-Triplex system will structurally rehabilitate the structure with more than XX0000 psi of flexural strength as well as provide
a surface that is non-porous and chemical resistant to protect the structure from future infiltration and corrosion.
Fiberglass or hand layup systems:
Fiberglass bag liners that do not contain the internal non-porous membrane and fiberglass/epoxy
coatings that are applied by hand layup method do provide some structural enhancement of the structure. However, the liner or
coating also has pinholes between the fiberglass strands allowing infiltration to seep through the liner and chemical penetration
to continue attack on the host structure. In the photo above chemical grout has been injected behind the liner revealing pinholes
in the liner. These pinholes will lead to chemical attack of the host structure and eventual failure of the rehabilitation effort.
The Poly-Triplex system contains the fiberglass layers but with the addition of the non-porous inner membrane that eliminates any
pinholes and provides a barrier to infiltration and further chemical corrosion.
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