TUBE TEST – an atypical application of flexible PVC by Portaflex s.r.o.

Unusual Use of Plasticised PVC

Portaflex s.r.o. supplies transparent plasticised PVC primarily for applications in door and window infills. However, in the course of our cooperation with Minova Bohemia, we encountered an unusual use of this material in remediation work involving a deep borehole. Although the order concerned a small piece of plastic, its technical solution represented an interesting application.

Deep Borehole Remediation

The purpose of the intervention was to stop water seepage from a borehole 56 m deep. Over approximately three weeks, around 1 000 m³ of water leaked from an unidentified source, carrying a significant amount of clay from beneath the foundations of the SPŠ Boskovice buildings. The situation required rapid verification of the proposed remediation procedure and its subsequent implementation.

Before the remediation work itself began, the client required a demonstration of the proposed solution's functionality using a transparent tubular model. The time required to prepare the test apparatus was a particularly important factor.

Watertight Model Made of Transparent PVC

Employees of Minova Bohemia produced a watertight cylindrical model made of transparent plasticised PVC with a thickness of 3 mm within a short timeframe.

The transparent construction enabled visual inspection of the flow and verification of the effectiveness of the proposed procedure under conditions simulating the actual situation. Based on the test performed, remediation was subsequently carried out, resulting in the successful sealing of the deep borehole.

The application described shows that even materials commonly used under standard operating conditions can find effective applications in technically specific and non-standard solutions.