This compound is composed of the original concrete substrate, the new repair material and the interface between the two. Before you can repair anything, you need to know what caused the problem in the first place and you need to understand how it is supposed to work. The inclusion of aggregates improves the mechanical properties and dimensional stability of repair materials. The manufacturer's literature is a good source of information on the properties and recommended uses of repair materials.
However, in exceptional cases, it might also be essential to have the slow setting property as a desirable property for the repair material. The results show that the shrinkage of the repair materials was significantly higher than the shrinkage of normal concrete. To simplify things a little, we will leave aside extensive in-depth repair and reconstruction projects where the typical goal is to reproduce the original concrete as closely as possible. Whether or not they are top priorities, both the expected service life and the cost of repair are also factors to consider in each project.
It is rarely possible to find a repair material that completely fills the voids without shrinking, at the same time responding to loads and changes in temperature or humidity identically to the substrate. Because most repairs are done on older concrete that will not experience drying shrinkage, using repair materials with low shrinkage can help prevent cracking and loss of adhesion. The durability of a repair depends on the proper bond with the substrate and between the layers of the repair material. When large chunks of concrete fall or it seems that an entire structure is about to collapse, the owner knows that it is time to seek professional help, authorize a thorough investigation, and order a complete repair design.
Therefore, it is important to set repair priorities early on, as this allows you to focus on the most critical issues when considering the necessary trade-offs. It is desirable that the repaired structure be used as soon as possible to reduce plant, machinery, building or road downtime. Following ICRI guidelines or taking a similar methodical approach will help you identify the necessary properties in the repair material. The best method of concrete repair depends on the type of damage and whether you are fixing a slab, driveway, pool deck, interior floor or other surface.
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