Why Do Concrete Repairs Fail?
In the last few years, many materials and methods have been developed to repair concrete. Sales representatives selling epoxy resins, caulks, sealants, and adhesives all promise wondrous results with their products. But some experts estimate that up to half of all concrete repairs fail. Many of the “wonderful” materials don t work, and concrete repairs are tricky. There are few engineers who have adequate knowledge of concrete repair, and contractors with experience in concrete repair are scarce too. Bryant Mather, formerly the director of the Structures Laboratory, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, Miss., and James Warner, a consulting engineer in Mariposa, Calif., were interviewed about concrete repair and failure. Q: Are most concrete failures due to the incorrect specifications or the contractor not following the specs? MATHER: In my opinion it s about 50/50. For example, if the attack on the concrete by sulfates derived from the soi
