Advance Technologies in

Concrete Repairs

VAJIRA ATTANAYAKA
B. Sc. Eng. (CIVIL), P.G. Dip. (MOT), AMIE (SL)
Director/Civil Engineer

AIROW Solutions (Pvt) Ltd

22/26, Railway Avenue, Nawinna, Maharagama, Sri Lanka
Mobile: +94 766 228 222
Tele: +94 112 769 080 Fax: +94 114 645 101
Content
• Concrete
• Concrete repair
• Coatings
• Crack injection
• Strengthening of structures – FRP
• Under water pile repairs
CONCRETE
 Why Concrete?
• Next to water, concrete is the most abundantly used
construction material on Earth.

• In terms of cost per ton, concrete is cheaper than any

other construction material.

• It is also one of the most convenient and versatile

construction materials.

• Moreover, when made properly, concrete is very durable

as it does not corrode like metal, rot like timber or
degrade in sunlight like plastics.
 Nature of Concrete

Concrete is strong in
compression but weak in
tension.
Reinforced Concrete
• Principle of reinforced concrete is that
concrete is strong in compression &
weak in tension
• Invented by the Romans but failed who
used bronze rods
• First successfully used in 1854 (steel
rods)
 Effect of Cracks

0.1 mm
Ingress of a 0.1 mm crack will admit
chloride ions 500 000 chloride ions across
and other corrosion its width
elements
 Drying Shrinkage
- Cause
Loss of water causes a change in volume

i.e. ALL cementitious materials tend to shrink

Drying Shrinkage
- Mechanism

restraint induces
tensile stress

crack generated to
relieve tension
What are the causes of concrete
damage?
• Chemicals

• Sulphates

• Abrasion

• Mechanical damage

• Carbon dioxide

• Chloride ions
Acids
Dissolves the cement phase
(cement holds the concrete together)

Concrete disintegrates
• Sulphate reacts with
calcium aluminate in
cement

• Causes cement to
expand and crack from
inside

• From ground water &

sulphate added
admixtures
Direct physical damage of concrete due to abrasion from
foreign objects
In fresh concrete, steel is protected
High pH >13

This forms a passive layer around the steel to protect it

So for corrosion to occur, the passive layer must be

destroyed
 Destruction of the passive layer

Carbon dioxide attack on steel

reinforcement - Carbonation

Stage 1
CO2 from atmosphere slowly
penetrates to the concrete

Forms a “front” that moves

closer and closer to the steel

Follows cracks in concrete

Reduces the pH of the

concrete from 13 to 10
Carbon dioxide attack on
steel reinforcement
Stage 2
Eventually the “front” has
reached the steel

In the presence of
moisture and oxygen,
corrosion starts
Chloride attack on steel
reinforcement
Passive layer
Chloride ions penetrate destroyed, an
anode is
concrete through cracks / formed and
pores and attacks steel corrosion pit
starts

Rapid loss of steel cross Chloride

section Ions

Loss of structural integrity

Chloride
contaminated
concrete
Corrosion
Rust has 8 times volume of original steel

Causes expansive forces which crack and spall concrete

The passive layer is destroyed by the Carbonation
and Chloride attack mechanism

Corrosion will begin- Concrete cancer

Stage 1:
The concrete appears to be sound with little
cracking and no ‘rusty’ discoloration. However
aggressive agents are entering the concrete.

Length of stage one depends on quality of

concrete and depth of cover to steel bars.
1

0.5

0
6
5
4
3
2
1
Stage 2:
Corrosive agents have reached the
steel surface and corrosion has
begun. Some cracks have appeared
and the concrete surface is stained
by reddish corrosion.

0.5

0
6
5
4
3
2
1
Stage 3:
Spalling of the concrete cover to
the reinforcing steel is clearly
visible, due to the formation of
lots of corrosion

0.5

0
6
5
4
3
2
1
Stage 4:
Severe spalling of the concrete
cover over the reinforcing steel is
evident, leaving the reinforcing
steel bars directly exposed to the
atmosphere.

0.5

0
6
5
4
3
2
1
Causes: Carbonation
Causes: Lack of Cover
Causes: Lack of Cover
Causes: Chloride Attack
Causes: Chemical Attack
Causes: Construction & Design
Structures in marine/coastal
environment
Concrete in the Marine Environment
What can we do?
• Do nothing for a certain time

• Downgrade of function (reduce maximum

loads)

• Preservation of current state (e.g. apply a

coating)

• Improvement, strengthening or
refurbishment of part or all of structure

• Reconstruction of part or all of structure

• Demolition of all or part of the structure

Why repair concrete?
• Maintain integrity

• Increase load bearing capacity

• Increase durability
If not repaired
Factors to be considered

• Intended use
• Required performance characteristics
• Life expectancy of repair
• The number and cost of repair cycles
• Accessibility of the areas to be repaired
• Size of area to be repaired
• The appearance of repair
Investigation techniques -

• Delamination (hammer) survey

• Rebound hammer survey
• Potential mapping
• Chloride profile testing
• Reinforcement cover assessment
• Carbonation testing
Repair Options
Conventional concrete
High performance concrete
Sprayed concrete
Polymer modified mortars (hand or
spray)
Fluid micro-concrete
Rapid cure mortar
Resin mortars
Composites (CFRP &/ GFRP)
Contractor Selection

Pre-qualify contractors
Must have manpower and equipment
Visit previous works
Tender to based on recent
comprehensive investigation
Unit rate contract
Client to have high quality supervision
Surface Cleaning
Surface Preparation
Steel Preparation
Steel Protection Options

Zinc rich coating

Epoxy coating
Cement epoxy coating
Polymer modifed cement slurry
Zinc anodes
Surface applied corrosion inhibitor
Cast in corrosion inhibitor
Drilled in corrosion inhibitor
(Migratory)
Reinforcement Protection
Migratory corrosion inhibitor
• Works as a migrating corrosion inhibitor by building a vapour
density within an enclosed space.

• It quickly vaporizes and is adsorbed to the steel surfaces within

close proximity, blocking the path of Chlorides, Water and
Oxygen - the fuels of steel corrosion.
Priming Options
Water
Non redispersable polymer
Epoxy
Polymer modifed cement slurry
Hand Applied Cementitious Mortar
Sprayed Concrete
Form and Pour
Curing Options

Water
Water & hessian
Water & hessian sealed with PE sheet
Curing compound
Protective coating
Protection Options

Silane
Silane siloxane
Polymer modified cementitious
coating
Aliphatic acrylic coatings
Epoxy or PU coatings
Protection of the Repair
Application procedure
Mapping and demarcation

Marking out Demarcation

 Edge defining

Breaking out
Steel preparation
• Grit/sand blast to remove all traces of rust
(SA2.5)

• If grit/sand blasting is NOT possible, power

tool cleaning to receive ST2

• Ensure to clean behind the bars

• Methods such as wire brushing is less

effective

• Replace existing corroded r/f if section loss is

greater than 20% (or as advised by the
structural consultant)
 What kind of material to be used

Multiple, small repairs ( less than 0.5 Sqm)

- Hand patch repair mortars

Medium sized repairs, difficult access,

heavy steel reinforcement
- Pourable micro-concrete

Large repair areas

- Spray
Finishing
Erect Shutter
Priming Substrate
Draining
Placement
Completion
Coatings
Injection
Technology
Typical site conditions - Basements
Typical site conditions - Tunnels
Typical site conditions - Deep shafts
Typical site conditions – Basement slabs
Typical site conditions - Basement
Typical site conditions – substructure construction phase
Typical job conditions –sheet piles
So, why injection?
■ Areas that can’t be reached, sealed
alternatively
■ Time saving
■ Cost saving
■ Reliable solution
■ Durable solution
FRP for Strengthening of
Structural Elements
Requirements for Structural
Strengthening
• Damaged old structures

• Structures affected by environmental changes

• New structures going under significant design changes during

construction

• Upgrade of building codes, earthquake or fire requirements

• Under designed structures (New/Old)

• Or as an alternative reinforcement for structures (substituting

steel)
Why FRP?
• Light weight

• Easy to use

• About 5 x stronger than steel

• Highly versatile

• Corrosion resistive
Type of Fibres

Type of fibre Elongation Tensile strength

at rupture N/mm²
%

Carbon 1.75 > 4‘500

Aramid 2.50 > 3‘000

Glass 4.50 > 2’800

PES / PP 12 – 15 > 1’800

MARTIN HUEPPI Page 80
Application Material Types
• Sheets
• Unidirectional
• Parallel fibers in the sheet are stretched and thus provide a high Modulus
of elasticity
• Used to increase the stiffness of the element
• Bi directional
• Sheets are produced by Weaving
• Used for increasing ductility

• Laminates

• Rods
 FRP vs Steel
• Linear elastic behavior

• No yielding

• Higher ultimate
strength

• Lower strain at failure

• http://slideplayer.com/slide/232965/
 FRP Systems
 Increase of ductility

Seismic retrofitting Protection against impact / explosion

Glass fibre: 4.5 % failure strain Aramid fibre: 2.5 % failure strain
 S&P FRP Systems
 Increase of stiffness

Axial enhancement Flexural enhancement

S&P Sheet: S&P CFK-Laminate:

0.4 % elongation limit for design at 0.6 - 1.2 % elongation limit for design at
ultimate state ultimate state
 S&P FRP Systems
 Dimensioning using Software FRP Lamella

Positive moment enhancement

Negative moment enhancement

Pre-stressed FRP plates against

Shear enhancement
deflection
Flexural and Shear Reinforcement

Control of evenness
Grinding of surface
 Reinforcing against Earthquake

Glass Fiber
Carbon Laminates
Steel plates (junction plate)
transfer forces
into the slab
Strengthening against punching shear by
using NSM and pre-stressed laminates FRP
laminates

MARTIN HUEPPI Page 89

Strengthening against punching shear by
using NSM and pre-stressed laminates

MARTIN HUEPPI Page 90

Marine Structure Repair

91
Marine Infrastructure

• Bridges
• Wharfs
• Piers
• Jetties
• Dolphins
• Dry Docks
• Sea Walls
Service Life
• Design life of a marine structure varies with:
• Building material (wood, concrete, steel)
• Climate
• Environment
• Live load and dead load
• Wetting and drying cycles
• Freeze / thaw cycles
• Chloride intrusion
• Abrasion
What causes deterioration?
• WOOD  CONCRETE  STEEL
• Marine borers • Chloride, chemicals
• Salt Spray
• Fungi & bacteria • Internal metal corrosion
• Chemicals
• Ultraviolet light • Erosion
• Environmental
• Others (impact, natural • Wet/Dry cycles of tides
disasters)
Epoxy grout for pile repair

Concrete Wood Steel

Before Before Before

After After After

Epoxy grout fill
Step 1: Surface preparation
• Remove marine growth
• Remove previously applied
coatings
• Remove damaged sections and
debris
• Profile substrate
•Step 2: Place jacket around pile
• Trowel Grade Epoxy goes into
interlocking joint
• Secure jacket around pile
leaving a consistent 50mm
annular void Jacket extends
50 cm-65cm
above and
below
deteriorated
area
Spacers inside jacket
help create 50mm
void
•Step 3: Fill jacket with Epoxy grout
Before
After removal of poly jacket & cleaning
Jackets installed and Epoxy grout filled
Job site photos
Thank you