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The Mudskipper System isolates plumbing under slab-on-void form foundations from expansive soil movement and protects transitions at flexible expansion joints between isolated and non-isolated plumbing.
Mudskipper
System and Components
Mudskipper Framing isolates the plumbing pipes underneath the slab with Rods, Stakes, Decking, and Walls. The Mudskipper Vault, Clamps, and Tails protect the transitions from isolated to non-isolated areas, extending beyond the exterior of the building. The FLEX-TEND flexible expansion joint maintains the vertical offset to accommodate future soil movement inside the Mudskipper Vault, which is further protected with Retainers.
Why Specify Mudskipper
Code Compliant
The Mudskipper Plumbing Isolation System was designed in response to IPC code changes. It meets the strictest interpretation of the code.
Robust Design
The plumbing lines are well protected throughout the interior-to-exterior transitions and directly suspended from the slab without any additional supports.
System Components
Components
Mudskipper Framing
Mudskipper Framing consists of 12-gauge strut channels, which are placed in the middle third of a concrete slab, where it has a negligible impact on the structural capacity of the slab.
Using a two-stage approach, Mudskipper Stakes and Rods are placed to temporarily support the framing. The Decking allows void forms to be placed in a line on either side of a pair of Rods without having to cut the void forms around the plumbing or the Rods. The Framing is permanently encased in the concrete, and the Stakes and Rods are removed to isolate the plumbing and hangers below the slab.
Mudskipper Walls may be installed on either side of deep utility lines when nearby benched excavations make construction difficult. Walls are earth formed, and made with flowable concrete fill material. Once piers and gradebeams have been installed, the soil between the walls is excavated to provide access to install the plumbing and Mudskipper system.
Mudskipper Vault
Mudskipper Vaults protect plumbing that is transitioning from an isolated condition under an isolated slab to a non-isolated condition such as buried plumbing beyond the exterior of a building.
The Vault houses the FLEX-TEND flexible expansion joint. A Mudskipper Clamp anchors the plumbing to the building’s isolated grade beams with the Tail supporting the plumbing on the non-isolated exterior side of the Vault. This protects and stabilizes the plumbing from crushing as soil swells and shrinks. A Mudskipper Retainer spans across the Vault to ensure soil does not enter into the system.
FLEX-TEND Flexible Expansion Joint
Flexible Expansion Joints allow rotation at each end and changes in length at the middle. They are installed with an initial vertical offset so that, when potential vertical movement occurs, the plumbing will still have the minimum slope for gravity flow.
Construction systems working together
VoidForm’s products enable engineers to design a complete solution to mitigate risk.
Isolated Slab
Mudskipper Framing
Isolated Plumbing
Mudskipper Clamps
Expansive Soil
Isolated Flexible Expansion Joint
Mudskipper Vault
Mudskipper Tail
Non-Isolated Plumbing
Isolated Slab
Mudskipper Framing
Isolated Plumbing
Mudskipper Stakes
Expansive Soil