Concrete Deterioration: Preventive Measures and Causes

The problem of concrete degradation is a major concern for many establishments, including commercial, residential, and municipal buildings. Before you can come up with a plan for repairing and reinforcing a concrete structure that is failing, you have to know why it is failing in the first place.

A variety of factors can cause concrete to deteriorate. Even though it is an extremely stable and robust material, it won't last forever without proper installation and maintenance.

Here are some practical tips that you should keep in mind if you wish to ensure the strength and integrity of your constructions.

Common factors of Concrete Deterioration

In addition to problems with placement and service conditions, deterioration rates in concrete are affected by many factors, those are as mentioned below:-

Issues related to placement

A number of factors contribute to the proper placement of concrete. This ensures that the structure is designed in accordance with the specifications, permits the correct use of the structure by the end user, and prevents the building from degrading too soon after its construction.

Cracks in concrete are one of the most obvious signs of placement problems. The problem can arise due to a number of factors, such as a weak substrate, a high volume of water-to-cement ratio, ineffective curing techniques, an incorrectly timed installation of the control joints, and other installation issues.

Additionally, it can be a sign of a more serious flaw in the design of the structure, such as improper spacing between control joints or a lack of reinforcement.

Problems with concrete placement can be seen in the following ways:-

1. Bug holes or tiny air bubbles on the concrete's surface.

2. Rock crevasses in the cement aggregates.

3. Hives-like Cold joints.

Problems with service condition

A service condition problem occurs when a structure is acquired or used in a way that caused a problem with its installation or mixture. The following are some common signs of a service condition issue:-

1. Metals inside the concrete are corroding (reinforcing steel).

2. During freeze-thaw cycles, water-soaked concrete expands, scales, and delaminates.

3. Degradation is caused by the harsh chemicals used to treat ice and snow. In regions where the acid rain is extremely bad, this can also happen.

4. Aggregate-alkali reaction.

5. Since erosion constantly happens to some extent in nature, it is the most challenging concrete degradation issue to fix.

Concrete degradation causes

Inadequate maintenance, environmental factors, inferior materials, and poor workmanship can all cause concrete to degrade:-

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