Have you ever heard of delaminated concrete? If you are familiar with the construction industry or any related field, you must have come across this term. Even you might have seen the delaminated concrete, but you were not aware of what it is particularly called.
So, how does delaminated concrete look? When the top layer of the concrete floor is peeling off, and you can remove it with your finger or by sliding a knife, it is delaminated concrete. In such places, the concrete beneath the delaminated portion is soft and chalky.
Now, the question arises why does concrete get delaminated? Why is concrete delaminated in a particular place while the rest of the floor or concrete slab is fine? Well, this column will answer all your questions about concrete delamination, its reasons, and delamination-identification concrete testing. So, let’s dive deep to know more about concrete delamination.
Causes of Concrete Delamination
The displacement of a mixture of water, air, and lighter material create a hollow surface in the concrete slab. It starts with the placement of the fresh concrete. The displacement of excess mixed water and entrapped air is called bleeding. It is when water in the concrete mix is pushed to the surface because of the settlement of heavy particles like cement. When finishing starts before the completion of the bleeding, air or water is trapped. The concrete in the slab hardens, and subsurface voids start developing. If delaminated surface is struck with a hammer, it may even get detached.
Identifying the Delamination
Identifying the delaminated area at the initial stage is not easy because it is not visible. Various types of technologies are used to identify the delaminated concrete. If the problem is identified in the initial stage, it can be repaired. One such technology is sounding ASTM D-4580 which helps in identifying the delaminated area in the concrete.
How to Deal with Delamination?
Start the finishing of a slab after the completion of the bleeding process. It is the easiest way to prevent concrete delamination. But, if you are already facing the problem, here are few tips for dealing with this issue.
Remove the defective concrete properly from the surface. After that, you can apply a new surface. Resurfacing products can also repair and enhance the look of the surface. You can try the resurfacing material in a small area to check how it looks.
Wrap Up
Delamination in concrete is a serious problem. You can hear the sound in concrete slabs even before the problem is visible. So, take all the necessary steps during the construction to avoid this issue. If you still face the problem, you can take the help of professionals to deal with the concrete delamination.
Are you also looking for delamination detection concrete services? If yes, then you can contact Concrete Insight to get a quote. It is a popular concrete scanning and core drilling company. We can help you in finding the area of delamination and the necessary repair work.
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