The Importance of Concrete Remediation

concrete remediation newcastle

Concrete is a remarkable construction material but it can degrade over time for a number of reasons. This can be due to; faulty design, poor placement or unintended use, environmental impacts, and chemical attack.

Every concrete remediation situation is different and requires a specific approach. To determine the best method, the cause needs to be understood.

Damaged Concrete

Concrete is used to support the weight of structures and people and therefore needs to be strong. However, the concrete can suffer from damage due to factors such as exposure to the elements and poor concreting. If the damaged concrete is not remedied, it can affect the structural integrity of the structure and may lead to safety issues.

To determine the extent of concrete damage, an engineer should conduct an assessment of the damage and how it impacts the service life of the structure. This includes determining the deterioration rate of the existing concrete and identifying how much of the structure requires replacement or repairs.

It is also important to note that non-structural cracks are a sign of damage and should be remedied as soon as possible. This will prevent the cracks from widening and potentially causing a collapse of the structure. Concrete cracks that are not repaired can cause rusting of reinforcing steel, and if the cracks become too large they will compromise the load-carrying capacity of the concrete.

Structural Damage

Concrete is an amazing building material, but it can be prone to damage in a number of ways. This can include general wear and tear, faulty installation, structural movement, thermal and moisture change, chemical attack, and reinforcement corrosion. The earlier these problems are identified and treated the better.

Structural damage to concrete can result in serious consequences. These can include major cracking, delaminating, spalling, and the loss of internal reinforcement. This can lead to significant economic costs, structural issues, trip hazards, and even property damage if the issue is left unattended.

Reinforcement corrosion is the leading cause of concrete damage. This happens when the pH level of concrete reduces to 10 or lower and chloride ions, oxygen, and water find their way in. The steel then starts to rust, which expands at 10 times its original volume. As the rust increases in size, it weakens the surrounding concrete, which eventually causes it to delaminate or spall off.

Aesthetic Damage

Concrete is one of the most utilised construction materials on Earth and, for good reason. It’s strong, fire resistant, and fairly low in cost. However, this incredible material does have one major flaw: its permanence. This is a huge problem should it experience issues due to design, pour, workmanship, or environmental factors.

Fortunately, many problems caused by concrete are easily remedied with minimal demolition and other invasive procedures. A concrete remediation expert will help determine whether a structure’s damage is structural or non-structural and what the cause may be. They’ll also assess how much the damage is affecting the integrity of the building.

Once the damaged area is assessed, a concrete repair specialist will begin with a thorough cleaning to remove dirt and debris that act as bond breakers. They’ll then bring the concrete to saturated surface dry (SSD) condition. Next, they’ll apply a shrinkage-resistant preblended patch mixture to the surface. This step is followed by curing, which helps strengthen the repaired area.

Chemical Damage

Concrete is one of the most utilised construction materials in history. However, this amazing construction material is susceptible to a number of different issues and needs a unique approach to every case.

This is particularly true for structures that have been damaged chemically. These situations can range from an accidental spillage of chemicals such as petroleum and acids to the regular use of harsh products by businesses such as metal plating facilities.

This type of damage can cause a range of issues from trip hazards to significant structural failure. It’s important to seek remedial treatment to minimise these risks and prevent further deterioration. Often, the best solution is to perform hydrodemolition on these elements. This technique uses high pressure water to remove the contaminated concrete without harming adjacent sound concrete. This is a fast, efficient and cost-effective way to treat structural concrete. It is also environmentally friendly.



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