CRACKING AGENT FOR ROCK & CONCRETE

EXPANDO is an expansive mortar chemical that cracks rocks and concrete, without using explosives. It is a concrete cutting, granite breaking and general demolition solution. This non-explosive demolition agent is easy to use, cost effective and a safer option for silently breaking up hard materials like rock or concrete. Simply drill, mix and pour.

EXPANDO non-explosive mortar is distributed throughout Australia including; Perth, Queensland, Northern Territory, Melbourne, Adelaide, New South Wales and South East Asia.

EXPANDO is an environmentally friendly, safe solution that allows you to reduce labour and equipment breakage risks and costs, improve site logistics and minimise safety, noise, dust and toxic pollution of the site

Step 1. Drill

• Drill holes in the rock or concrete where the material is to be cracked.
• The distance between holes will vary depending on type of material. Generally, the closer the holes, the quicker it is to crack the material.
• The diameter of the holes will dictate cracking results – holes that are too small may result in sub-optimal performance, while holes that are too big may cause blowout shots.
• Please note: do not exceed 40mm diameter drill size

Step 2. Mix

• Expando expansive mortar must be thoroughly mixed with clean cold water before use. Gradually add one bag of Expando to 1.5 – 1.7 litres of water. Stir until you obtain a smooth lump-free slurry.
• Use only open buckets or containers for mixing. Do not use narrow-necked containers.
• Avoid adding extra water, as this may reduce the concentration and effectiveness of the mix.
• Avoid mixing more than 10kg of Expando at any one time.

Step 3. Pour

• Pour the freshly mixed slurry into pre-drilled holes within 10 minutes of mixing. Do not look directly into the filled holes for the next 2 – 6 hours.
• Tamp the mortar filled into the holes by using a slightly smaller stamp stem. For long holes, tamp the mortar section by section to remove trapped air pockets.
• For horizontal and slant holes, insert a slightly smaller plastic pipe into the hole and fill the mortar into the pipe slowly, withdrawing the pipe from the hole simultaneously. Tamp the mortar section by section to remove trapped air pockets.
• Another method for horizontal holes is to fill sausage shaped plastic bags. Tie the bags off and insert them into the horizontal holes.
• The benefit of this method is that it will retain the fluid in the horizontal hole.

Step 4. Expand

• EXPANDO’s reaction time to crack stones varies from 24 to 76 hours.
• This varies depending on the material being cracked, the hole design and the ambient temperature at the job site. Expando continues to increase in pressure for up to 5 days.
• Caution: The chemical reaction of Expando and water generates heat. If the reaction goes too quickly the temperature can be above the boiling point of water before all the water has chemically combined with Expando. This can result in a steam driven explosion which blows the Expando mortar from the holes with sudden force.
• Expando, once mixed and poured into holes, expands as it slowly sets, gradually applying expansive stress up to 14,000 PSI.