Case Studies
For over 20 years, USI has provided protective coatings and corrosion prevention products proven to protect our nations most critical infrastructure and industrial machinery. Along the way we have documented many projects and pain points we have been able to help our partners repair, protect and upgrade.
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Gridguard HD Plus
Who It’s For
This session is useful for:
Pipeline owners, engineers, corrosion teams, and inspectors evaluating rock shield performance and CP compatibility
Contractors and crews who want easier handling, fewer cold-weather headaches, and faster lowering operations
About the Speaker
Jamie Blanco has worked closely with installers and engineers to translate real-world challenges into practical solutions. She has been with JDR Enterprises for nine years and played a key role in the development and approval of Gridguard HD Plus, serving as a manufacturer’s representative focused on advancing rock shield performance and adoption.
Gridguard is manufactured in Madison, Georgia.
Why Rock Shield Matters
Rock shield is used to:
Protect the coating from rock impact during backfill—and ideally continue that protection after burial
Help prevent coating damage that can lead to long-term corrosion
Support the overall corrosion-control system, including cathodic protection
A “good” rock shield shouldn’t only survive the backfill—it should protect the coating long-term without becoming a contributor to coating failure risks.
Common Challenges (Field + Engineering)
Field challenges crews deal with
Heavy rolls, moisture retention, freezing, and handling problems that slow installation and raise safety concerns
Difficult use with cradles/rollers leading to lost time and money
Engineering concerns
Cathodic protection compatibility is one of the first questions raised with rock shield selection
Thick materials that hold water, abrasion risk against coatings, and unvetted/untested products being used in the field
What to Ask Before You Approve Any Rock Shield
Use these as a quick checklist for your next spec review:
Does the design eliminate void spaces where small fragments can get trapped?
Has it been tested for CP flow during burial and compaction (not just unburied tests)?
Does installation require heat welding—and if so, what are the risks of heat near the coating?
Does it retain moisture or freeze in cold weather, creating handling delays?
Gridguard HD Plus Highlights (At-a-Glance)
Designed for engineering + corrosion teams
6 oz geotextile backing bonded to a bidirectional extruded poly for impact resistance
Geotextile backing intended to assist CP and “will not shield,” with test reports available
Strength comes from the bidirectional poly structure, not “just thickness”
Helps reduce abrasion on the coating and allows water/fines to move around the pipe
Eliminates void space concerns (fragment trapping)
Built for field productivity
Light weight: ~0.41 lbs/sq ft (about half of traditional rock shield, per the talk)
Longer rolls: 50 ft vs. 30 ft traditional
Can be used in rollers/cradles without bunching or tearing, speeding lowering operations
Uses less tape (often about half) and can reduce wrap intervals (commonly up to ~12–18″)
Cold-weather flexibility tested to -40°F to -50°F (including wet/frozen conditioning)
UV protection: ~1.5 years built in, plus additional protection from carbon-black wrapping
Made with up to 24% recycled materials
“Avoid This” — Most Common Field Mistakes
Jamie called out two common install errors that can create downstream issues:
Lip installed “up” instead of down — the lip should be down and wrapped toward the bottom of the pipeline to reduce fragment entry.
Fabric installed outward — ensure the geotextile is against the coating (not facing out).
Q&A Highlights
Other applications discussed:
Gridguard material has been used (or explored) in applications beyond pipeline—including under tanks with anodes, under liners, and behind concrete in other projects.
Hazardous waste / liner cell protection:
A question came up about using it for additional impact resistance in new hazardous waste dump cells where crews currently use geo fabric prior to liners.
High temperature rating:
When asked about “top temp,” Jamie noted there are melt-point values available (start-to-melt vs. fully-melted), and she can provide those specifics.
Have a project coming up (capital or integrity maintenance) and want to compare rock shield options, CP test reports, or best-fit roll sizes?
Contact Unconventional Solutions (USI):
Email: office@usigroups.com
Phone: 248-735-7000
How to eliminate trips, slips and falls
Today we are going to talk about Unconventional Solutions to avoid trips, slips and falls. Why are we talking about “slips, trips and falls”? Slips and trips are very common and preventable in the workplace. According to the 2025 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index, the annual costs of falls on the same level have gone up to $10.5 billion dollars annually. That’s just the workman’s comp version of it, which doesn’t include overtime and labor, production disruption, rework, or litigation.
Common slips, trips, and falls root cause:
- Surface defects (cracks, spalls, potholes, settled slabs, broken stair nosing)
- Housekeeping (cords/hoses, pallets, clutter, poor storage, debris at workstations)
- Low Traction (smooth concrete, worn coatings, polished floors, wet/greasy areas)
- Lighting & Visibility (shadows, glare, poorly marked edges, inconsistent floor markings)
- Transitions & Slopes (ramps, dock plates, thresholds, mats that curl, uneven expansion joins)
- Weather & Drainage (tracking water/ice indoors, leaks, inadequate entry matting/drains)
- OSHA expectation (general industry): walking-working surfaces are maintained free of hazards such as leaks, spills, snow/ice, loose board, and protruding objects.
Prevention Strategy:
- Inspection: Routine walking-path audits and work orders
- Repair: Fix defects fast (same shift if possible)
- Improve Traction: Texture, coatings, mats, nosings
- Control Water: Drainage, entry matting, spill response
- Communicate: Mark edges, standard signage, training
Concrete-focused “quick wins”
- Patch spalls/potholes before edges break down further
- Rebuild heaved joints/transitions (dock plates, thresholds)
- Seal joints & cracks to reduce water intrusion and freeze/thaw damage
- Add texture/anti-slip coatings in wet process areas
- Use high-contrast striping at elevation changes
Why composite repairs are different:
- Fast return to service
- Enhanced durability
- 100% solids – no shrinkage
- Abrasion and impact resistant
- Better chemical resistance
We have solutions for every situation:
QUESTIONS:
- What is the maximum build capability for the 570 Concrete Patch Repair XF—how much can you put down at one time?
A) 2” at a time. - If it exceeds the 2”, is there another product that we can use to fill larger voids and then topcoat with the 570 Concrete Patch Repair XF?
A) Yes, you can fill it with crushed gravel under to build up more. After the initial hard drying period of 2 hours, you can apply an additional 2-inch coating.
If you have any questions about our slips, trips and falls product solutions, you can connect with us at www.usigroups.com.
USI Flooring Systems
Common flooring concerns that we are working to address:
- Erosion damage
- Foot or hi-low traffic wear and tear
- Chemical exposure (Short or long term)
- Substrate condition & prep
- Access/Time for install
- Wet vs dry areas
- Regulations & safety
Cost of Waiting to get your floor fixed:
- Trip, slip & fall incidents = $20K-$50K each (Liberty Mutual Insurance Workplace Study)
- $11 billion annual cost nationwide
- Often cheap is expensive and expensive is cheap
- How much is workman’s comp or trip, slip and falls costing you and your company.
- Can your business afford even one OSHA reportable trip, slip and fall?
- Would you like to improve your company’s image?
Surface preparation is key. We carry a lot of flooring and repairing products:
- USI Crack Filler
- USI Epoxy Mortar Patch
- USI Machine Grout
- USI Coal Tar Patch
- USI Oil Stop Primer
- USI Quick Prime WB
- USI High Build HB
- USI Flexible Broadcast Primer
- USI Moisture Vapor Barrier
- USI Self-Leveling Epoxy
- USI Polyaspartic Urethane Sealer
- USI ECO Seal Urethane
- USI LVP – Quick Set High Build Epoxy
- USI Topcoat UV Stable Epoxy
- Paint Chips / Flakes
Why are USI Products different?
To select the proper coating and repair solution, you must ask the right questions. With USI you don’t just get the products, you get the expertise and technical know how on what products to use and how to apply them. We can go over the features and benefits of each and every product.
QUESTIONS:
- We have a lot of epoxy floors and have a lot of issues with them cracking. Looking for something that is durable and chemical resistant (2-13 chemical resistant range).
- What kind of maintenance does the floor need after it is installed?
You can always give us a call if you have any questions. office@usigroups.com
