For civil engineering and heavy infrastructure installations where equipment downtime must be minimised, RLA Penatech HES Grout provides rapid strength development on concrete substrates. Tested and compliant with AS1012 and AS1478 as a Class C grout, this dual-expansion, shrinkage-compensated formula allows structural loads, crane rail plates, bridge bearing pads, and heavy machinery base plates to be fully reinstated in 24 hours.
Dual-stage shrinkage compensation
Penatech HES Grout utilises a blend of Portland cement, graded fillers, and chemical additives to control expansion across both the plastic and hardened states. In the plastic state, it expands by 1% to 2% within the first 5 to 25 minutes of mixing to counteract early settlement. It continues to expand during hardening, compensating for long-term drying shrinkage to maintain complete contact under high-load base plates and within precast joints. The non-metallic formulation is iron-free, preventing rust staining in exposed exterior applications.
Numbers that matter
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2-hour compressive strength (>35 MPa Flow / >25 MPa Fluid): Rapid early strength development to support structural loads and facilitate fast equipment reinstatement.
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28-day compressive strength (>85 MPa Flow / >65 MPa Fluid): Tested to AS1012.9 and AS1478.2, ensuring high ultimate load-bearing capacity under dynamic forces and continuous vibration.
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10mm to 120mm application thickness: Suitable for single-pour under-plate grouting and bolt-hole anchoring without aggregate addition.
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10-minute placement window: At 20°C, the mixed grout must be placed within 10 minutes to secure the full benefit of the plastic expansion process.
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2.0 kg/m²/mm coverage: Highly predictable material planning for calculating consumption in cavities, gaps, and recesses.
Where to use it
- Heavy-duty support under high-load machine base plates.
- Grouting crane rail plates and bridge bearing pads subject to dynamic loads and continuous vibration.
- Precast concrete panel grouting and structural connection cavities.
- Anchoring bolts, dowels, and fixing pockets in solid concrete.
- Filling concrete cavities, gaps, and structural recesses.
Installation and mixing limits
For quantities up to 40kg, a slow-speed drill fitted with a high-shear mixer must be used. Larger quantities require a high-shear vane mixer. Do not use a colloidal impeller mixer. Add the powder slowly to pre-measured clean water and mix continuously for 5 minutes to achieve a smooth, even consistency.
Water requirements per 20kg bag:
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Flow consistency: 2.5 to 2.8 litres of water (Yields 10.3 litres per bag; 97 bags required per cubic metre).
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Fluid consistency: 3.2 to 3.5 litres of water (Yields 11.0 litres per bag; 91 bags required per cubic metre).
Clean concrete substrates thoroughly to remove oil, grease, and laitance by scabbling or water blasting. Flood the foundation area with fresh water for several hours to pre-soak, removing all free standing water from bolt holes and pockets immediately before pouring. Grout must be poured continuously from one side of the void to prevent air entrapment. Always grout bolt pockets before grouting the main gap beneath the base plate.
For pours thicker than 120mm, Penatech HES Grout must be filled out with a well-graded, silt-free aggregate, such as Epilox Fillers F4 added at 10kg per 20kg bag, to control heat build-up. Note that adding aggregate creates a heat sink that will slightly retard the grout set and slow early strength development during the first few hours.
Limitations
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Low-temperature working: When ambient or contact surface temperatures are 5°C or below on a falling thermometer, warm water (30°C to 40°C) is required for mixing to accelerate strength development. For temperatures below 10°C, formwork must remain in place for at least 36 hours.
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High-temperature working: When ambient temperatures exceed 35°C, cool water (below 20°C) must be used to mix the grout. Keep unmixed bags stored undercover and as cool as possible.
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Unrestrained surfaces: Keep unrestrained grout surface area to a minimum. Maintain a gap of 150mm on the pouring side and 50mm on the opposite side, with no gap at the flank sides of the plate.