Concrete repair products and systems have been developed
extensively since the late 1970’s. There was a wide-spread of the technology
and hence the requirement for durable concrete repairs was been increasingly
understood. This increased level of expertise and experience led to the first
development of a complete ‘Systems Approach’ to concrete repair solution and
protection, which was originally pioneered by Lechler Chemie.
The two main causes of concrete deterioration is carbonation and chloride attack which result in weakening the integrity of concrete structures. When untreated concrete is left exposed to chemicals and water, it can lead to deterioration and long term structural damage which can ultimately result in very costly repairs being required to the structure. But if you use a protective coating or if you add a concrete repair solution, then the durability and the lifespan of the structure will get extended. These solutions include, durable concrete solution which helps in refining pore structure of concrete and improves durability and concrete rheology. Then there is precast or high early strength concrete which is helpful in eliminating and reducing steam curing process. The self-compacting concrete solution gives architectural smooth finishes and faster execution of the job. Last but not the lest, the guniting or shot crete solution helps impart cohesiveness in the mix and improves strength gain at early as well as later durations.
Concrete structures can often
be built in harsh environments where corrosion control can play an important
role. For example, chloride ions can
cause damage to the passive film on steel reinforcement used in reinforced
concrete structures, entering from de-icing salts or from seawater in marine
environments. This in turn causes corrosion, which without attention, can
weaken the integrity of a concrete structure or cause cracking, falling and
delaminating of the concrete.
Some of the other methods, which
have been widely used in the recent developmental phase is the migratory
inhibitors, sacrificial anodes and high grade anti-carbonation coating.
Migratory inhibitors are generally applied to the external face of the concrete
surface, then comes the sacrificial anodes which are applied to the exposed
rebar following breakout of defective concrete. Lastly, the high grade
anti-carbonation coating which is normally used where low cover of concrete has
been established over rebar, this can chemically aid with increasing cover. The
structural stability of any building and its attached components must be at the
forefront of most owners’ minds, especially in the mind of the building
managers whose roles are becoming ever more demanding in this ever growing
developmental world. It is very important to know all the types of the concrete
repair solutions, so that one makes efficient use of them all.
