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CONCORR,
Inc. can assist the owner during all steps of the construction
project.
Corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete is a problem of
serious concern from the stand-point of both safety and economy.
Many owners and engineers respond to this problem by simply
repairing the damaged concrete. To improve longevity of the
repairs, owners and engineers often opt to remove additional,
supposedly chloride contaminated but undamaged, concrete at
great expense. Others sometimes utilize specialty repair materials.
Such repairs, although they make the concrete structure whole,
do not address the process (corrosion of steel in concrete)
which caused the damage in the first place. Thus, depending
on the condition and the exposure of the concrete, damage
often continues to occur in areas not previously repaired.
Under certain circumstances, repairs themselves can also fail
due to inadvertent acceleration of corrosion in adjacent areas.
To properly address the problem of corrosion of steel in concrete,
a corrosion mitigation system must be installed in conjunction
with the repairs. Numerous corrosion mitigation systems are
available in the market. They vary from the simplest (sealers
and corrosion inhibitors) to the most sophisticated (cathodic
protection and electrochemical chloride extraction). The cost
of such systems also varies from less than a dollar to ten
or more dollars per square foot of affected surface area.
Each of the corrosion mitigation systems is capable of controlling
a certain level of corrosion activity, just as specific dosages
of medicine are required to cure different degrees of sickness
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Analysis
For about a decade, CONCORR, Inc. has been providing the
best technical solutions to problems associated with corrosion
deterioration of concrete structures of all types. We always
focus on first identifying the level of corrosion activity,
the cause of the problem, and other factors that may impact
the corrosion process. This is accomplished by conducting
a concrete and corrosion condition survey on select areas
of the structure. The diagnosis of the structure allows us
to match a cost-effective corrosion mitigation system with
the structure and to select a compatible repair to go along
with it. CONCORR, Inc's expertise was developed through research
and development of many of the corrosion control systems commercially
available today.
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Engineering
The task of selecting a corrosion control system and compatible
repair is a complex one. The level of present and anticipated
future corrosion activity is controlled by the presence of
admixed and/or marine chlorides, carbonation of the concrete,
presence or lack of sufficient concrete cover over the steel,
contact between dissimilar metals such as aluminum and steel
in concrete, etc. This is further compounded by the presence
of alkali silica reactive aggregate, freeze-thaw damage, non-corrosion
induced cracking of the concrete, ingress of moisture and
chloride ions through deficient joints and seals, etc. Thus,
expertise in the area of concrete corrosion is necessary to
properly match a corrosion control system and compatible repair
scheme to the existing problem.
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Bid
Package & Contractor Selection
After selecting the corrosion control system and repair strategy,
there are several complex and time consuming steps that are
required to complete the construction project. CONCORR, Inc.
can help the owner with each one of those steps. First, a
bid package needs to be prepared. This includes a detailed
set of written project specifications and drawings. CONCORR,
Inc. can prepare portions of the bid documents related to
concrete repairs and corrosion mitigation system(s). If one
of the sophisticated systems, such as cathodic protection,
is required for corrosion mitigation, CONCORR, Inc. can design
the system and prepare specifications and drawings for the
bid package. There are several different types of cathodic
protection systems. An in depth knowledge of these systems,
including their application and limitations, is necessary
to select the most cost-effective one for a particular structure.
CONCORR, Inc. has researched or evaluated almost all cathodic
protection systems available in the market and is thus best
positioned to advise the owner on the pros and cons of each.
Performance of any repair or corrosion mitigation system is
dependent on the quality of construction. Therefore the next
step is to select a qualified contractor to perform the work.
CONCORR, Inc. can assist the owner(s) with this process.
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Construction
Inspection
Once construction begins, CONCORR, Inc. can also perform
construction inspection to ensure that the contractor is performing
the work in accordance with the project specifications. Finally,
the performance of the repairs and corrosion mitigation system
should be monitored periodically after construction is completed.
The level of monitoring is dependent on the specific rehabilitation
strategy employed and any requirements stipulated in warranties
provided by the contractor.
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