THE HYDRATION SYSTEM PLACEMENT IS A JOB BY JOB PLAN
Basic guidelines for installing the hydration pipe are:
- Install the root barrier to the depth of the zone of influence, 1.5 to 2 metres out from and parallel to the foundations.
- Place the bentonite plug in the base of the trench.
- Back fill the trench to 50% of its depth.
- Place the hydration pipe in the trench on the side facing the structure.
- At the up hill end of the root barrier about 3 metres along the trench, place the hydration pipe.
- Starting with 200mm of pipe above the ground, the pipe goes vertically down to the top of the back fill, the pipe then turns 90 degrees and follows the barrier, finishing at a point 3 metres before the end of the root barrier.
- Back fill the remainder of the trench.
- With a garden hose placed into the pipe running slowly, fill the trench until the ground at the lowest point becomes soggy, repeat every second day until the clay has expanded to the point where the structure has recovered and no further improvement is necessary or likely.
- Cap the end of the hydration pipe to prevent it breathing and drying the trench out and bury the pipe just below ground level.
- If in years to come further drying of the clay occurs, dig up the head of the hydration pipe and add water as required.
