Concrete Refurbishment, Coating and Lining
Protecting Against Corrosion
Concrete deterioration is attributable to many factors. These include acidification, abrasion, impact, differential settlement, cracking and shrinkage. All these processes have a physically damaging effect on concrete, opening up the matrix for chemical attack leading to corrosion of the steel reinforcement.”
Secondary containment linings for over 1,200 commonly used industrial chemicals, including the following:
– Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4)
– Hydrochloric Acid (HCl)
– Nitric Acid (HNO3)
– Hydrofluoric Acid (HF)
– Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH)
– Sodium Hypochlorite (NaClO)
*Note that our secondary containment linings are resistant to full immersion at full commercially viable concentrations at pH 1-14.
- Composite Structural Repairs and crack bridging
- Extensive refurbishment of severely damaged concrete curbs, pedestals, U Drains, beams and more
- Specialist primers for concrete surfaces that are alkali, damp or when moisturisation levels are approaching saturation point.
- Screeding overlays to existing concrete to resurface at as low as ½” thickness
- Mobile Crack mitigation techniques
Neutralization Sump dosed with 98% Sulfuric Acid and Sodium Hydroxide – Lined with Polyglass VEF
Urea Secondary Containment Lining with Polyglass VEF + Polyglass VEF WR (broom finished for nonskid)
Generically similar linings do not have similar properties, and therefore some will perform well where others will not. For concrete application the following properties are of utmost importance:
- Moisture vapor transmission rate – The less permeation allowed the longer it will take for corrosive ions to attack the underlying concrete and/or lower the pH of the material. Polyglass VEF has an MVT rate a full magnitude lower than most products on the market.
- Primer penetration– Prepared masonry surfaces are porous with low tensile strength. A penetrating primer fortifies the surfaces, the deeper the penetration the lower the stress experienced on the bond between the structure and the lining system. Primer penetration also increases the energy required to cause a delamination, achieved by increasing the tensile strength of the material near the surface, the longer the length of transition between 100% cementitious material to 100% polymer material is the limiting factor for adhesion to concrete. Unless cyclical cycles of high heat or heavy equipment traffic are experienced on the surface the purpose of concrete surface roughness is to offset a poor primer or increase the volume of material required.
- Elongation to break – As areas experience localized differences in expansion rates due to exposure to the elements or process it is critical that the material can absorb these cyclical stresses without cracking or reducing adhesion to the substrate.
Ability to spark test to the surface of the substrate– The dielectric strength of a properly formulated glass flake coating makes DC spark testing hazardous to the tester. Furthermore, spark testing concrete using a DC tester introduces errors the size of which are dependent on the level of conductivity of the concrete between the coating and closest rebar. Corrocoat is able to eliminate this variable by priming with a tack coat of graphite loaded material that allows for AC testing between the 2nd and last coats of material applied increasing test safety and accuracy.
One of the more commonly specified Corrocoat coatings used for a wide range of chemical service environments is Polyglass VEF – a High Performance Glass Flake Reinforced Novolac Vinyl Ester Lining
Concrete Coating and Refurbishment: Where there is concrete corrosion projects that require refurbishment, the best material that I have seen on the market is our Epoxy Polymer Concrete – available in 40 Gallon (1/5 CY) kits that can be mixed with concrete or mortar mixer or 2.5-gallon kits that can mixed in a 5-gallon bucket with a heavy duty drill.
Corrocoat Epoxy Polymer Concrete – A 3-pack epoxy resin system, aggregate filled, self-leveling epoxy polymer concrete. Trowel-able at thicknesses as low as 3/8”, and able to reach 3000-5000 psi compressive strength within 12 hours, 20,000 psi compressive strength and 1,800 psi tensile strength, fully cured. This material is great for tough concrete repair applications where time, strength and the ability to bond to old, contaminated substrates are required.
For areas that require grading to a drain or away from a side wall, one can use Corrocoat Zip E Screed, which can be used in lieu of or in addition to the Epoxy Polymer Concrete and in conjunction with compatible corrosion resistant linings.
Note that Corrocoat offers Novalac Vinyl Ester Polymer Concrete (link to data sheet) as needed to suit specific chemical service environments such as Nitric Acid or Hydrochloric Acid.
Most of our concrete application includes lining Sulfuric Acid Secondary Containments using our Plasmet AR3. This system is primed with the Plasmet ECP (link to data sheet)
Another common acid used in heavy industry that requires protection of the concrete is Hydrochloric Acid (HCl). For this service, we specify our Polyglass Standard, primed with Polyglass Wet Concrete Primer (WCP).
HF attacks (of chemically reacts with) glass. For this reason, the glass flake that is used in the majority of Corrocoat linings would be the failure point in the formulation, When dealing with service environments that include Hydroflouric Acid or Hydrofluorosilicic Acid, we specify Graphite S – a Graphite Flake Filled Novalac Vinyl Ester Lining.
Heavy industrial plants experience safety, environmental and reliability issues as the result of corrosion of concrete. Before reverting to the solution that you used before, contact Corrocoat USA for a detailed specification, product supply price (for installation by a nested contractor) or request a turnkey (specification, supply and apply) proposal to protect your concrete for 10+ years.
Contact us today to learn more about our concrete protection and lining products or to request a consultation.