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The BRL-KOMO 3201 certificate ensures quality
Not all damage to concrete can be fixed with a standard repair. And even underground, conditions aren’t always as hoped. It’s precisely in those situations that specialized techniques such as concrete repair, soil injection, and soil stabilization come in handy. BE-Inject, a division of Franki Grondtechnieken, has been focusing on these techniques since 2017. With the recently obtained BRL-KOMO 3201 certification for concrete repair, the company can now demonstrably guarantee that quality.
As a foundation specialist, Franki Foundations has been active in specialized deep foundation techniques for more than 110 years. When standard foundation techniques are insufficient, the company seeks a suitable, custom solution. That technical expertise and experience also come in handy at BE-Inject. The department was established in 2017 under the leadership of Nico Heiligers and has since developed into a specialist in areas such as moisture control, construction site leaks, soil stabilization, horizontal soil injections, and concrete repairs. “Concrete repair is an important part of BE-Inject’s work,” says Nico. “For example, we repair damage to concrete structures using concrete injections, manual repairs, or shotcrete. Which technique is used depends on the structure, the extent of the damage, and the desired lifespan of the repair.”
By obtaining BRL-KOMO 3201 certification, BE-Inject has taken an important step forward in concrete repair. The certification demonstrates that the work is carried out in accordance with established quality and process requirements. “BE-Inject has always stood for quality. With the KOMO certification, we can now also demonstrate quality in the field of concrete repair. This provides extra assurance not only to us, but especially to our clients.”
This certification is immediately put to use in the field. For example, BE-Inject is being used for concrete repairs as part of the large-scale renovation of the Krammersluizen complex in Bruinisse. The lock complex consists of four locks, of which the two push-boat locks are being overhauled one by one. For this purpose, the gates are transported to a factory in Vlissingen, where each overhaul takes approximately six months. Within the ZEEKR consortium, led by BESIX, BE-Inject is responsible for the concrete repair work.
BE-Inject’s certified concrete repair services are also being used in the large-scale reconstruction of the De Nieuwe Meer interchange in Amsterdam’s Zuidas district. In doing so, the department demonstrates that concrete repair is a specialized discipline, both within large-scale infrastructure renovation projects and in complex civil engineering structures. “No two projects are the same. What makes our work interesting is precisely that you have to carefully examine the structure, the conditions, and the problem that needs to be solved.”
In addition to concrete repair, BE-Inject offers various ground injection techniques. Ground injection can be used, for example, to increase the bearing capacity of the soil or to control unwanted water flow. Vertically installed injection hoses deliver a mixture of water glass and hardener to the desired depth within the sand layer. The individual injection zones overlap, creating a continuous water-retardant layer in the soil. One example of this is the nature-inclusive apartment building De Premier in Leiden. Here, soil injection with water glass silicate is used to create a water-retardant layer in the soil, comparable to the water-retardant properties of a clay layer approximately one meter thick.
Another point Nico would like to highlight is that BE-Inject has been officially recognized by SBB as a training company for MBO students. “A milestone we’re proud of,” he says. “It means we can supervise the practical component of a full-fledged MBO program—on the actual job site, under real-world conditions, with real challenges.”
