Hello, everyone.

This is Enta.

As for recent work trends, the number of projects has dropped off sharply—it seems like I’m supposed to be busy, but I’m not at all!

These are becoming increasingly difficult times...

But that's beside the point.

This time, I’ll talk about doing spray application at a job site where there’s an unusual amount of water.

Slopes where water just keeps running down—they’re a real pain to spray, aren’t they?
If you were to ask what the easiest solution is in such situations, the answer would definitely be a quick-setting adhesive.
I think that's a sure thing.
Another method is to insert plenty of drainage holes and play while allowing water to flow through them.

That said, I hope the water diversion goes smoothly, but in reality, it rarely does.
If you keep spraying over the same spot again and again, it tends to build up to quite a thickness there.

So today, I’m going to write about what we should do about that.

Reasons Why Spraying Is Difficult on Slopes with High Groundwater Flow

First, I will explain why spraying on slopes with spring water is difficult.

With sprayed mortar and sprayed concrete, if water is continuously supplied to the sprayed surface, it can cause poor adhesion or sagging.
Even if you apply it directly over the water channel, the mortar won’t adhere properly in that area, causing it to flake off or resulting in uneven thickness.

If you use a strong hemostatic agent, the bleeding will stop temporarily, but that alone won't solve the problem at its root.
Since water will always find a way to escape, water pressure can build up behind the point where you stopped the leak, causing it to gush out from another weak spot.

Identifying Waterways | This Is the Most Important Part

The most important part of fixing this is determining the “center” where the water is coming out.
This is the most important thing!

If you ask me how I decide, to be honest, it's just a gut feeling.
I touch the slope, listen for the sound of flowing water, and feel the changes in moisture to figure out where the main stream is lol
Sharpen your instincts and draw on your past experiences!

As I recalled why I became a slope contractor in the first place, I looked back on my life as a slope contractor so far, and in the middle, “Yee-haw!!"Please decide on that!"

As long as you control the center of the water flow, you can direct the water to that single point and let it drain away, allowing you to apply the spray while keeping the surrounding area dry.
Conversely, if you miss this spot, no matter how many drainage pipes you install, the water won't flow in the direction you want.

Specific Procedures for Drilling and Installing Drain Pipes

Once you've determined the center of the water channel, drill a drainage hole there.

If the slope is soft, the most effective method is to drill holes about 50 mm in diameter using a rock drill and insert perforated pipes into them.
This is by far the most powerful.

However, if you don’t have a rock drill, or if the job doesn’t require such a large-scale operation—or if you simply can’t do it—drilling a horizontal hole about 1 meter deep with a hammer drill is more than sufficient.
The larger the hole, the easier it is to collect water, so if possible, use a hammer drill bit to drill a hole about 19 mm or 22 mm in diameter.

Install a drainpipe at the opening of the hole, but if you insert a thin, shaped anti-suck-back material inside, it will effectively allow only water to pass through while preventing the outflow of soil and sediment.

• If you seal the areas where water is seeping out in a trickle from the surface around that hole with mortar, the water will be more likely to pool in the hole mentioned above.
• If you drill additional holes in a fan-shaped pattern centered on that hole, you can collect water from an even wider area. Even just 1 meter makes a difference!

It's just a small thing, but doing it this way allows the water to drain more efficiently, which also improves the appearance of the sprayed surface.

 

What Happens If You Rely Too Much on Laxatives?

We've been talking about draining water so far, but in reality, there are probably very few job sites where water is gushing out that don't require the use of rapid-setting agents.

It's easier to use, and it gets the job done faster.

So I don't intend to dismiss quick-setting agents themselves.

However, we must not forget that quick-setting agents also have their drawbacks.
The more you use it, the lower the strength of the sprayed mortar and concrete becomes.

The greater the extent of freeze-thaw cycles in a region, the more severe the impact—and this can sometimes result in the material cracking and shattering.
The more you force a stop using a quick-setting agent, the more likely it is that it will take a toll on the material's long-term durability.

That’s exactly why it’s important to follow the proper order: first drain the water to reduce the volume, and then blow it out.
A quick-setting agent is meant for the final touches; it is not a tool you should rely on from the start.

On slopes with plenty of spring water, as long as you keep the water flow under control, it’s actually surprisingly easy to play there.
Instead of relying entirely on rapid-setting agents, we’ll ensure the water drains properly through drilling and drainage pipes.
That’s how we want to continue carrying out our construction work with a high standard of quality.

 

See you later.

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