This report provides an overview of current practices for grouting to support equipment and machinery. Recommendations are provided for those portions of the grouting operation where a consensus could be developed among knowledgeable manufacturers and users. For areas where opinions differ, various approaches are outlined. Many statements and much information contained in this report are based on unpublished manufacturers’ data and observations by technical representatives and users. The committee has reviewed this unpublished information and considers it suitable for use in the document. This report describes materials and installation methods for grouts used as load-transfer material between machine or equipment bases and their foundations. Characteristics of the placed material, test methods for forecasting their long-term performance, and installation procedures are included. The information may also be appropriate for other types of applications where filling of the space between load-carrying members is required, such as under column baseplates or in precast concrete joints. Machinery and equipment that have precise tolerances for alignment or require uniform support cannot be placed directly on finished concrete surfaces. Both the concrete surface and the machine base have irregularities that result in alignment difficulties and bearing load concentrations. For this reason, machine bases or soleplates are aligned and leveled by shimming or other means, and the resulting space between the machine base and the foundation filled with a load-transfer material. The load-transfer materials most frequently used are hydraulic cement grouts and epoxy grouts.

ACI 351.1R:2012