Standard Test Method for Flowability and Bearing Area of Chemical-Resistant Polymer Machinery Grouts

Abstract

5.1 Chemical-resistant polymer machinery grouts are used to provide precision support for machinery or equipment. Note 2: The machinery or equipment or support bases or plates, or combination thereof, are positioned to the precise elevation and location required. The bases or plates are typically placed on prepared foundations and supported on temporary shims or support bolts (jack screws). Forms are installed to contain the flowable grout. The grout is poured around the perimeter in such a manner as to allow the grout to flow around and under the equipment base or plates. The grout subsequently hardens to provide a strong rigid support layer capable of withstanding the stresses transferred by the equipment to the foundation. Although the actual machinery base plate is typically metal and the cover plate in this test uses acrylic glass, different grouts using acrylic glass cover plates has proven useful for comparative purposes as described in this test in laboratory conditions. 5.2 In addition to the required physical properties of the grout, the flow and bearing area achieved are important considerations for effective grout installation. The two characteristics measured by this test method are flow and bearing area. 5.3 The flow test simulates typical application conditions for a flowable polymer machinery grout in a laboratory environment. It may be used to evaluate the suitability of a particular grout for a specific application, to compare the flowability and bearing area of two or more grouts, or to evaluate the effects of formulation changes, temperature, mixing techniques, or other factors on flowability. 5.4 The estimated amount of upper grout surface contact in percent can be used to compare two or more grouts or show the effects of temperature, formulation changes, or other factors on bearing area. A limited set of results using visual guides (see Fig. 1 and Fig. 2) is used to classify the bearing as “high”—greater than 85 %,” “medium—70 to 85 %,” and “low—less than 70 %.”