The Job
This underground storage tank fill project by CJGeo is located at a food manufacturing facility near Harrisonburg, Virginia. The tank is 30 thousand gallons, and designed to store diesel to feed backup power generation for the facility. As part of an equipment upgrade, the tank is no longer in use, and had to be filled.
The Challenge
The best way to address unused underground storage tanks that aren’t removable is to fill them. If left empty and out of mind, abandoned empty tanks can cause serious problems, such as sudden collapse, which can significantly affect operations. Unfilled, out of use tanks can also accumulate groundwater, leading to potential environmental liabilities.
The Solution
CJGeo proposed 30lb/cuft CJFill-Ultra Lightweight (CJFill-UL) to fill the tank. CJFill-Ultra Lightweight is easily hand and machine excavatable to ensure that when the tank is removed in a few years that it’s not difficult.
While easily hand excavatable, CJFill-Ultra Lightweight still provides more than adequate compressive strength. In this case, total loads were just a few hundred pounds per square foot, whereas the CJFill material provides more than 17ksf of unconfined compressive strength. The American Concrete Institute publishes a removability modulus calculation which helps to quantify the ease of removal of controlled low strength materials, read more about it and how it relates to cellular concrete here.
It took CJGeo less than an hour to completely fill this tank. Confirmation of complete fill was uniform material venting from the tank vent ports.
Speak With An Expert
Facing a similar challenge to this underground storage tank fill project? Give us a shout or shoot us a text. Click the state marker for the location of your project for contact info for the appropriate rep.
