All concrete buildings or structures are supposed to have a lifetime existence. Most structures are designed to have a life that estimates between 50 and 100 years. However, according to reports, most of today’s structures are not living up to what most engineers anticipate. The premature weakening of concrete of various infrastructure is an issue that is becoming costly and time-consuming.
Most people must be asking what could be the cause of this deterioration. It’s correctly argued that everything bad that happens on concrete, the causative culprit is always water. Being a liquid, water transports all forms of chemicals which are contaminants deep into the concrete. Water also damages the surface and also corrodes the steel that is used as a reinforcement. Water basically plays a major role in all the disruptive reactions that occur on concrete.
With this knowledge, you’ll want to do everything in your power to prevent water off your concrete. With less contact on your concrete, then you are guaranteed the durability of your structure. Here are some suggestions that might assist you to ensure your structure is durable.
The Durability Of A Structure Begins With A Mixture Design Of Concrete
A concrete that is properly mixed means that it properly matches all the conditions that are required for the concrete to be fully effective. There are no single mix designs that are durable. They must be mixed properly.
Construction Joints
It’s challenging to avoid construction joints. Almost all concrete structures have such joints. These joints are also weak points where water find its way and penetrate. When water enters in these joints, the structure’s condition may deteriorate in many ways. Mostly, steel will corrode weakening the structures reinforcement.
It’s crucial that all these joints are entirely covered so as to avoid cracking and also corroding of steel. At times, this activity becomes challenging because water still finds its way deep in the structure. However, exterior waterproofing Minneapolis can be of great assistance. For such cracks, waterproofing technology should be applied so as to ensure water doesn’t cause any cracks in the structure. Crystalline technology offers durable protection at all concrete joint locations.
Decreased Permeability
Mix design must be altered so that it can match the conditions. Quality concrete should have a reduced permeability. With such a permeability, all water is kept off from the concrete structure.
Correct Concrete Curing
This is the step that many contractors overlook. In order to achieve a durable concrete, a proper concrete curing should be conducted. What is curing? This is the process where the concrete is provided with all the conditions that will allow it to harden and gather strength to the maximum.
Equal humidity and temperature are the most crucial. These two components must be properly checked. The temperature should be slightly above 10 degree Celsius. This amount of temperature ensures that the concrete proceeds to gain strength at a reasonable pace.
Moisture must also be properly balanced. It’s vital that it be controlled especially during when the concrete is still fresh. The right amount of moisture ensures proper concrete shrinking, drying and avoid cracking.