Concrete Repair Brisbane

Brisbane Concrete Services

Concrete cancer repairs or spalling concrete as it’s sometimes referred to as caused by the corrosion of steel in concrete. We are experienced in structural and cosmetic repair and we will show you through this page everything about concrete cancer and concrete cancer repair.

What you will read:

How does concrete cancer occur?
What you need to know
What are key signs to look out for?
The effects of concrete cancer according to Griffith University Architecture specialist
Has concrete cancer a cure?
How is Concrete Cancer fixed or Repaired?

How does concrete cancer occur?

Three key ingredients cause concrete cancer – Iron, Water and Oxygen, and the process starts when:

Moisture hits the internal steel iron, and combines with the carbon dioxide in the air, forming weak carbonic acid.
As this acid forms, it causes the iron to dissolve, allowing water to start breaking down its components – hydrogen and oxygen.
This then forms an oxygen and iron bond freeing electrons, creating what is commonly known as rust.

Hi-rise apartment buildings built back in the 1970s have been the hot topic of discussion, as the effects of concrete cancer are starting to show, some with disastrous outcomes.

This issue led to Brisbane’s City Hall being closed for two years over 2012 and 2013. The Brisbane City Council spent over $215 million to preserve the heritage listed dwelling.

What you need to know about concrete cancer repairs Brisbane

Four tell-tale signs that you need concrete cancer repairs:

Cracking, splitting or crumbling concrete.

Rust stains that seem to come out from the concrete.

The paint appears to be dropping down or bubbling from the soffits.

Raised section of tiling or walkway coatings.

Concrete cancer or concrete spalling is the effect of steel reinforcements within a concrete slab rusting, which in turn causes the steel to expand up to 5 times its normal size and effectively destroys the concrete from the inside out, causing it to split and breakaway.

What are key signs to look out for?

It’s not always obvious what underlying problems are in a concrete structure, however cracking, honeycombing and spalling are relatively easy to locate. The real concern is the root of the problem and without proper technical support can be easily overlooked.

Things to look for are:

Reddish/brown stains that are adjacent to cracked concrete or running down any part of a building.

Concrete lifting/exploding out.

Other cracks with signs of moisture coming through, they can sometimes look like white crystals or fluorescence.

Can concrete cancer be cured?

Unfortunately, there is no permanent cure, there is only preventative maintenance.

Using a High-quality waterproofing decretive coating will keep water seepage to a minimum, as they are more resistant to tears and punctures, they have longer lifespans and are more weather resistant. By preventing water from infecting your concrete, we can greatly slow the effects of concrete cancer in its tracks. If you have no waterproofing coverage or inadequate waterproofing coatings, your structure will be more susceptible to concrete cancer. Any area that moisture is getting in needs to be fixed before it has a chance to infect the concrete, including any cracks blister bubbles etc.

How is Concrete Cancer repaired or fixed?

If you have identified any issues like mentioned above, you need to get the professionals involved. BRS has over 35 years of experience in structural and cosmetic concrete cancer repairs giving them the ability to refine the best suitable concrete refurbishment method for each project.

The process to fixing Concrete Cancer can be long and most times if left unattended quite expensive. Things BRS consider are:

Determine what is causing the problem

Evaluate the severity of the damage i.e. classification, major/minor

Determine the repair or rebuilding method

Preparation of existing concrete and steel. Sometimes inclusive of additional reinforcing steel anodes

Formwork and Concrete Cancer repair products

Allow for proper curing of the repairs. Often includes specialist coatings

Finishing and making good to original, profiles, textures, paints and protective coatings

Establish a site-specific manual, recording the details of repaired areas

Protection of the concrete is essential in reducing further external influences

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