Containment Pads and Secondary Containment in Abilene, Texas

Any tank, drum rack or fueling station that holds a liquid is one failed valve away from a spill, and the concrete under it is the last line of defense. We build containment pads, curbed slabs, sumps and secondary containment basins for industrial, agricultural, municipal and utility owners in Abilene and the Big Country, designed so the spill stays on the slab and drains where it is supposed to.

Containment concrete is different from a normal slab in a few quiet ways. The curb has to be monolithic or properly doweled, joints need sealants that resist the stored product, and the surface must slope to a sump without birdbaths. Cracks that a parking lot could ignore become paths for liquid, so shrinkage control and curing receive more attention than usual.

We read the owner's spill plan or the engineer's containment calculation before we price, so the volume, the wall height and the drainage plan all match what the regulators and the insurer expect to see on site.

Concrete placing and the trades around it

Containment concrete includes the base slab, perimeter curbs, sump pits and vehicle crossing ramps. The concrete specialists complete those placements and finishes as a connected system. We coordinate trade partners for coatings, liners, pipe penetrations, tank setting and electrical work, and we stage each so the concrete is not damaged after curing. Coatings, for example, require a specific surface profile and moisture condition, so we agree on finish and cure method with the coating applicator before we pour.

Water stops, sleeves and embedded plates get placed during the pour, never cut in afterward. A core drilled through a curb after the fact is a leak path, so we ask other trades to submit penetration locations early and we mark them on the forms.

From excavation to cured curb

Typical scope includes subgrade preparation, base, vapor or chemical barrier where specified, reinforcing, forms, placement, finishing to slope, curing, joint sealing and testing. Where the design calls for a formed curb that is cast with the slab, we detail the reinforcing so the curb cannot shear off under load.

Many pads also need equipment foundations inside the containment area. When that happens, we combine the work with equipment pad construction, so the tank saddles and pump skids sit at the right elevation and do not penetrate the barrier.

What changes the number

Size and curb height are obvious, but sealants, coatings and water stops can account for a significant share of the cost. Sloped surfaces to a sump use more labor than a flat slab, and a long haul to a rural site adds trucking time. If the owner wants a hydrostatic test, we include the time and water source for it.

We list allowances for items that depend on the stored product, such as chemical-resistant joint material, because those vary widely. Clarifying the product list at bid time prevents a change order after the forms are in. We also separate the price of the concrete from the price of the lining, so an owner can compare a coated slab with an integral-sealed slab on equal terms and choose based on how often the area will be washed down.

Sites around Abilene and the Big Country

Abilene sits mostly in Taylor County at an elevation of 1,729 feet and covers 112.09 square miles, with its city limits extending north into Jones County. That is a lot of ground for fuel depots, water facilities and processing sites, and Interstate 20 forms a bypass loop along the north side of the city between exits 279 and 292.

We mobilize crews to Abilene, Gorman, Rising Star and Cross Plains. State Highway 6 runs about 20 miles northwest from Gorman to Eastland and 11 miles southeast to De Leon, and we plan trucks and pumps around the routes each job uses.

Cure time, coatings and commissioning

Containment concrete needs time to cure and dry before coatings go on, and the owner often needs the area back in service by a fixed date. We lay out the schedule with the coating contractor and the tank installer, so cure periods are protected and the sequence is realistic.

Weather can interrupt a coating schedule, and so can late deliveries of steel tanks. We keep the slab protected and maintain access for the next trade while waiting, and we cover sump pits and open sleeves so rain, windblown dust and debris do not collect where the coating will bond.

Neighbors to containment work

Containment slabs often connect to trench drains and drainage, concrete paving for truck access, and bollards and site concrete that protect tanks from vehicles. Planning them together avoids joints that conflict.

When a site is older, we may need to remove failed pads first. That is a job for concrete demolition and removal, followed by new subgrade work.

Facilities that use containment slabs

Typical users include manufacturing plants, food and beverage processors with ingredient and cleaning chemical storage, fleet yards, water treatment facilities, and campuses that run emergency generators. Universities in Abilene stand out as institutional users: Abilene Christian University enrolled a record 7,274 students in fall 2025, and McMurry University reported a record 4,144 including dual credit students, so campus energy plants and fuel storage are real concerns.

Oil, gas and midstream operators and industrial owners arrive with the heaviest paperwork, often including a spill prevention plan that names the containment volume and the inspection routine. Every facility has its own regulator and insurer, so we ask for the governing requirements at the start and build to them, and we keep a copy of the approved details with the crew so the field matches the plan.

Working around stored chemicals

We review safety data sheets for any product on site, follow the owner's permit-to-work process, and keep hot work and ignition sources away from fuel areas. Confined spaces such as sump pits have their own entry rules, and we do not enter them without the required controls.

When the work wraps up we sweep the area, document the joint sealant batch and cure dates, and hand over the as-built containment volume. Wildfire is a real regional hazard, and a December 2005 fire burned about 7,600 acres near Cross Plains and destroyed 116 homes, so we keep fire access lanes and spill response areas clear and mark them on the site plan.

Describe what the pad must hold

Tell us the product, the tank size and the local requirements. We will outline the slab, curb and joint plan and identify items for the engineer before pricing your site.

Common Questions

How high should a containment curb be?

The height comes from the volume that must be contained and the regulations for the stored product. The engineer calculates it and the drawings show it.

Are expansion joints allowed in a containment slab?

Yes, but they require a sealant and often a water stop, and they are placed where the engineer indicates. We install them carefully and inspect them before turnover.

What happens if rainwater collects inside the containment area?

The slab should slope to a sump or valve so that water can be removed and checked. The owner's procedure determines whether it can be released or must be handled as contaminated.

Can an existing pad be converted to containment?

Sometimes. We evaluate the slab condition and add curbs, coatings and sumps where the structure can accept them, or recommend replacement when it cannot.

Do you test the finished containment?

We can support a water test or a visual inspection with the owner and the engineer, and we record the results in the closeout binder.