Cleaned steel H-pile at port facility in Mexico.
According to data supplied by various manufacturers, there is little performance difference among the variety of epoxy grouts and fiber-reinforced-polymer (FRP) jackets available for marine encapsulation.
The real differences arise in the installation of the product. Notably, without proper surface preparation, epoxy polymer will not achieve a manufacturer’s rated maximum adhesive bond to the surfaces of the structural member and jacket.
To mitigate persistent problems of surface preparation, Substructure designed a suite of cleaning equipment and developed specific surface-preparation procedures. Central to our advanced surface-preparation process are devices that clean structure surfaces far more quickly and completely than other methods employed in the trade. Substructure’s process also is extremely safe for equipment operators and for divers working in the water.
Substructure’s custom-designed/built cleaning equipment effectively prepares surfaces both above and below water. In addition, our process is a substantial improvement over traditional methods in turbid water and in limited space configurations. The high quality of surfaces prepared by Substructure ensures that the epoxy polymer can achieve maximum bond strength.
Substructure’s surface preparation process reduces preparation time, labor, and associated costs, with significantly reduced risk of injury to topside and underwater personnel.