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Remediation of reinforced concrete structures

Remediations - the title implies that it is a repair of concrete structures damaged due to mechanical or chemical influences. Of course the weather influences the damage, too. They are mainly structures that, due to their importance, are impossible to demolish and replace, like tanks WWTPs (waste water treatment plant), bridges, silos, buildings, waterworks, retention tanks, pumping stations, ...

For the repair of damaged parts of reinforced concrete structures we use reprofile mortars that in some cases have many times better mechanic characteristics and are chemically better resistant to chlorides. The original properties of concrete lost due to weather (changes in summer/winter cycles, freezing, low reinforcement coverageblasting of part of concretes, corrosion, weakening of bearing structure due to salt and chlorides), which weaken the structure, e.g. WWTPs, drainage systems (caused also by bacteria that are in this environment and degenerate concrete), are restored. Bacteria can destroy concrete structures. Mecahnical damages and structure overload occur.

Goal  - to restore the original characteristics.

Procedure

Preparation of substrate – chipping off loose parts, cleaning of the reinforcement, blasting of the structure to bearable adhesion for the application of reprofile mortars.

Check of substrate – visual, by the examination of adhesion of substrate

Application of remediation mortar – manually or mechanically, late ly without the bounding slurry and reinforcement protection as these are already contained in the  remediation material resistant against chlorides, sulphates.

Result

Correct fault diagnosis and determination of the range of faults are important for the design and method of remediation of damaged reinforced concrete structures. The knowledge of the further use of remediated reinforced concrete structure is important, too.