International Concrete Abstracts Portal

Title: Effects of Environment on Repair Materials: Results of a Five-Year Research Project

Author(s): L. Courard, A. Darimont, R. Degeimbre, and J. Wiertz

Publication: Special Publication

Volume: 212

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 921-940

Keywords: adhesion; cementitious mortar (CC); coatings; durability; polymer modified cementitious mortar (PCC); polymer mortar (PC); repair materials and techniques

Date: 6/1/2003

Abstract:
A research program was set up to analyse the behaviour of more than 20 repair systems, including a wide range of coatings and repair products. Based on PC (Polymer Mortar), PCC (Polymer Modified Cementitious Mortar) and CC (Cementitious Mortar), the repair systems were applied on different concrete substrates in order to analyse the adhesion and its durability. Several ageing factors have been investigated: wet/dry cycles, sun radiation, freeze-thaw cycles, . . . Some ageing factors have a synergistic effect on the properties of materials: a good product may be completely destroyed if supplementary ageing happens. We have developed new test methods in order to simulate as well as possible site conditions and compared them with natural ageing when possible. Wider investigations are devoted to the analysis of the effects of water itself, which is probably the first cause of alteration of adhesion between concrete and repair systems. All these forms of ageing are compared and technical recommendations are proposed.