What is Mudjacking in Construction?

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Mudjacking is a concrete leveling process that involves pumping a material underneath a sunken concrete surface to lift it to the intended elevation. 

The settled concrete surface, like slabs, pavement, or driveway, is jacked up by pumping mud or soil to provide required support and elevation.

This article discusses the features, working, and applications of the mudjacking process in construction.

Features of Mudjacking Process

• Mudjacking, also called slabjacking or concrete lifting, is an effective technique to fix a settled concrete slab without going for complete replacement. 

• During mudjacking, mud is pumped under a  sunken concrete surface to lift it. The mud is pushed through holes made near the concrete surface using a hydraulic pump. The holes are drilled at a diameter ranging from 1.5’’ to 2.5’’.
• The mud used for the process is a slurry mix composed of Portland cement, topsoil, and water.
• The mixture is pumped through a hose into the holes drilled near the settled concrete surface.
• The pumped slurry elevates the surface and fills the voids and vacant spaces underneath the structure, which then hardens to provide solid support. 
• Mudjacking is a temporary elevation fix to the concrete surface that has undergone settlement. It neither fixes the structural issues of the surface nor improves the durability of the surface.
• Mudjacking is an appropriate solution for the following scenarios:
  • The concrete surface is just settled and still structurally sound; that just needs to be elevated to the intended position.
  • The client does not require full replacement of the concrete surface due to lack of funds or time but needs to have a better surface until it is time for complete replacement. 

Advantages of Mudjacking 

1. Mudjacking is less expensive compared to replacing the whole concrete surface.
2. The process is environmentally friendly as the mud used is a slurry mix of water, soil, and cement.
3. Mudjacking is a quick process that is completed within a few hours.
4. The process does not demand any heavy equipment or a large crew. 

Disadvantages of Mudjacking

1. Mudjacking does not eliminate cracks present on the concrete surface. It can only bring the cracks together and remove tripping hazards.
2. A concrete surface covered with tile or any cosmetic top treatment has a risk of damage during the mudjacking process.

Mudjacking is best applied for fixing cracked sidewalks, uneven patios, sunken porches, sagging parking lots, etc. It is not a repair solution for structural damaged or crumbled concrete surface, nor for any structural foundation problems. 

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