Treatments for concrete
AssigneeTarmac Construction Limited
InventorChristopher Lyndon Page
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention relates to a method of inhibiting alkali-silica or alkali-aggregate reactions (AAR/ASR) in concrete structures by introducing lithium compounds or the like in conjunction with conventional techniques for the treatment of steel reinforcement corrosion. It is also proposed to provide lithium compounds in repair concretes, grouts or mortars and use the difference in concentration between the article under repair and the repair material to introduce the lithium ions into the concrete under repair, once again inhibiting AAR/ASR reactions.
Claims16
A method of inhibiting one of alkali-aggregate or alkali-silica reactions in hardened concrete which comprises the steps of introducing a substance into the concrete and applying an electric field to the concrete after it hardens to cause the substance to migrate within the hardened concrete, wherein the substance inhibits one of alkali-aggregate or alkali-silica reactions in the hardened concrete.
A reinforced hardened concrete article which has been treated by a method comprising the steps of introducing a substance into the concrete and causing the substance to migrate within the concrete, the substance inhibiting one of alkali-aggregate or alkali-silica reactions, wherein the substance is caused to migrate due to the presence of an electric field after the concrete has hardened.
A method of producing a reinforced or prestressed hardened concrete article which comprises the steps of providing metal reinforcement within the concrete, providing mobile lithium ions to the concrete and applying an electric field to the article at some stage during the life of the concrete article after it has hardened to cause the lithium ions to migrate within the concrete to positions where the ions inhibit one of alkali-aggregate or alkali-silica reactions.
A method of repairing a concrete article which comprises the steps of preparing a repair mix which incorporates on or more lithium compounds, applying the repair mix to the concrete article, and applying an electric field to the article after the repair mix has hardened such as to cause the lithium ions to migrate into the concrete article being repaired to inhibit alkali-aggregate or alkali-silica reactions.
A reinforced concrete article in combination with an applied electric field, comprising one of alkali-aggregate or alkali-silica reaction inhibitors in the concrete article, the article having regions of high inhibitor concentration and regions of lower inhibitor concentration, the concentrations of the inhibitors being highest where the current density due to the applied electric field is highest.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.