Las Vegas, NV – Terra Contracting, a full-service land development General Contractor based in Las Vegas, whose leadership has more than 40 years of underground utility installation experience, announces a new line of service that will save public and private entities millions of dollars in maintenance and construction costs by enabling the safe repair of underground vaults. This service eliminates the need to completely replace aging underground utility vaults, by strengthening their structural integrity from within. Terra Contracting’s repair process is now available to utilities nationwide.
For utility companies, the ability to significantly extend the life of a failing underground vault, as opposed to having to completely replace it, is a game-changer on multiple fronts including less impact to operating budgets and less disruption to the public.
The process that was developed by Terra was recently proven and documented as the company successfully repaired a collection of four significantly damaged vaults beneath the busy streets of Las Vegas. Underground utility vaults are common throughout the United States and the world; they house utility lines underneath streets and sidewalks and are accessed by opening manhole covers.
“When an underground vault begins to fail structurally, the utilities they house can no longer be safely accessed for routine repair and maintenance,” explained Ed McSwain, owner of Terra Contracting. “Typically, a failing vault must be completely opened up at street level so the vault can essentially be dismantled and rebuilt to continue to house the utilities therein. This is tremendously disruptive, expensive and time consuming.”
Terra Contracting uses specific products and expertise to repair failing vaults. Terra Contracting’s structural concrete repair division developed a process to repair and rejuvenate existing vaults by using a collection of specialized concrete repair products and materials (including the primary product, FLEXKIT) from JES Supply Company, a West Coast supplier of specialty concrete repair products.
Additional Background on the Concrete Vault Repair System
The public utility identified four underground vaults that were in such disrepair (concrete walls and ceiling were crumbling due to corrosion of the reinforcing rebar) that it was unsafe to allow personnel to enter to perform routine duties.
Terra Contracting’s structural concrete repair division was asked to inspect the vault and suggest possible repair solutions. Terra’s team of experts decided the best course of action was to utilize the FLEXKIT Concrete Repair System, a system for which Terra is a certified installer.
Once the public utility approved the recommended repairs and agreed for work to proceed, the repair of the vaults averaged six days. An estimated 1.2 yards of loose concrete was removed from the walls and ceiling of each vault. The material was then applied curing to 12,000 psi, providing a permanent repair. The ultimate benefit to the utility provider and its customers is a cost savings of over $200,000 per vault.
All repair materials were supplied by JES Supply Company of Las Vegas, NV.
For more information about the significance of this underground concrete vault repair service and process, please contact Terra Contracting at (702) 651-8100 or by email at info@terracontracting.com.
To view the before and after underground concrete vault repair transformation, go to: terracontracting.com/vault-and-structural-repairs/
About Terra Contracting
Terra Contracting was incorporated in 1994 as a full-service land development General Contractor, self-performing grading, paving, underground utilities, site concrete, structural concrete repair/overlays, geotechnical drilling, helical piers, fabric structures, and above-ground boardwalks. For more information, visit terracontracting.com.
