Good concrete repair is not a bandage ‘fix’ for a structure in trouble—rather, it is a complex system that consists of numerous engineering tasks (Figure 1). Designing and specifying concrete repair has unique needs differing from new construction. Thus, the specifications must serve as action plans or roadmaps for the project’s engineer, contractor, and quality controller.
Moisture vapour is a hot topic in any type of construction where there is concrete on, above, or below grade. Moisture vapour emissions through a concrete slab in any building can contribute to costly floorcovering failures and down time. Over the past 20 years, the frequency of moisture vapour emission issues has increased. Several contributing factors include:
Concrete has many advantages, including formability and durability. The material has high compressive strength, which is defined as the maximum compressive load a body can bear prior to failure. However, concrete is actually quite weak in tensile strength, meaning it is not an ideal material when a structure is subjected to tension.
Moisture rising from concrete slabs can come from numerous sources, including concrete, drainage, burst pipes, condensation, aggregate above a membrane, and the ground itself. Although the problem appears in different forms, the outcome is always the same—the flooring will fail.
The continued rise in popularity of polished concrete floors, combined with a spate of new ‘polishing’ products on the market, has created a perfect storm for construction specifiers. The industry has responded by releasing a new standard to measure and evaluate polished concrete surfaces.
The focus on sustainability continues to grow within the construction industry. However, one of the greatest global concerns is the uncertainty of natural resources.
With some predictions estimating the global population will reach as high as 11 billion by 2050, it is crucial the design community plans infrastructure with sustainable and innovative practices in mind. As concrete is the most commonly used building material in the world—employed more than all other building materials combined—its ability to perform well has a direct impact on how sustainable the structure it supports is.
Pavement engineers, who deal with many of the same issues faced in the concrete-floor field, do not talk much about joint stability or differential movement. Instead, they talk about load-transfer efficiency—a related but distinct property. Whenever a load is applied to one side of a joint, it creates stress on the loaded side. Load transfer occurs when some of that stress gets transferred to the unloaded side. Load transfer efficiency (LTE) is a measure of how well the joint shifts stress to the unloaded side.
A stable joint—one that does not move excessively when a load is applied near it—is obviously better than an unstable one. However, the best methods to make joints stable are not always agreed upon. For example, one floor designer might call for stout, closely spaced dowels, while another also chooses dowels, but makes them thinner and spaces them farther apart.
While many concrete structures have a design life of 50 to 100 years, not all live up to expectations. Much of the concrete infrastructure currently in service across North America is badly in need of repair or replacement, and this premature deterioration is a large hidden cost to owners. What is causing this lack of durability?
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