Turbine Pedestal Chocking and Grouting

The challenge

A turbine baseplate had lost full contact with its foundation, leaving the machine sitting on a soft foot. With the load bearing on only part of the footprint, the baseplate flexed and passed vibration straight into the soft foot instead of being carried by the foundation. That kind of unsupported, vibrating mount works the hold-down bolts loose, throws the train out of alignment, and accelerates wear in the bearings and couplings. Left as it was, the turbine could not hold alignment or be trusted to run.

Our approach

We start by checking the baseplate against the foundation to find where contact has been lost and how much the machine has settled, then we shim and align the train to its correct running position. With the turbine held on alignment, we dam the gaps and pour a cold-applied chocking system that flows under the baseplate and cures into solid, load-bearing chocks shaped to the exact gap. The chocks make full contact across the footprint, so the load goes into the foundation instead of the soft foot. Where the baseplate or bolt seats had corroded or worn, we rebuild that metal with a 1000 Series composite before we pour, so the chocks bear on sound surfaces. The result is a machine carried evenly by its foundation and back on alignment.

1. Assess and mapWe check the baseplate against the foundation to find where contact has been lost, gauge the settlement, and confirm the soft foot driving the vibration.
2. Align and prepareWe clean and prepare the foundation and baseplate seats, rebuild any corroded or worn metal with a 1000 Series composite, and shim the train back onto its correct running alignment.
3. Dam and pourWe dam the gaps under the baseplate and pour a cold-applied 4000 Series chocking system that flows into the void and fills it completely.
4. Cast the chocksThe chocking compound cures into solid, load-bearing chocks shaped to the exact gap, making full contact across the footprint with no machining of the casting.
5. Return to serviceWe confirm full support and alignment, then hand the turbine back to run carried by its foundation rather than the soft foot.