Properly maintaining your concrete structures is important for ensuring their safety and durability. It includes cleaning and sealing, as well as repairing any cracks or damage that may have occurred over time.
The deterioration process of concrete is insidious and continuous, beginning with the first small crack that invites moisture or corrosive agents to penetrate its protective lining. Inevitably, the outward symptoms of scaling, cracking and spalling appear.
Signs of Concrete Deterioration
Unfortunately, the signs of deterioration of concrete typically do not indicate the depth, complexity or severity of a problem. For instance, when a facility’s roof is cracked and the concrete begins to fall, this is not an indication of a structural failure; it is simply a result of the natural process of weathering and aging.
Understanding the underlying causes of deterioration will help managers identify a proper repair strategy. This may include a combination of repairs such as patching, re-pouring or resurfacing, as well as preventive techniques such as cathodic protection (CP) and impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP).
A thorough understanding of what concrete is and how it ages can greatly enhance the ability to spot a problem and implement an effective repair strategy. It will also help prevent a costly cycle of repairs that may not produce a permanent solution.
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