# Best Practices for Preparing  Concrete Surfaces Prior to  Repairs and Overlays

> One of the biggest problems impacting the long-term performance of concrete repairs and bonded overlays is cracking of the repair material and repair material debonding from the concrete substrate. There are many purposes for concrete…

- URL: https://essential.construction/files/information/white-papers/best-practices-for-preparing-concrete-surfaces-prior-to-repairs-and-overlays/
- Publisher: Essential Construction (https://essential.construction/)
- Last updated: 2021-05-28
- Price: Free download
- Categories: Guides, White Papers
- File Type: PDF
- Division: 03 - Concrete

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One of the biggest problems impacting the long-term performance of concrete
 repairs and bonded overlays is cracking of the repair material and repair material
 debonding from the concrete substrate. There are many purposes for concrete
 repair, including prolonging the useful service life of a deteriorated or distressed
 structure or element, restoring the load carrying capacity and the stiffness, and
 strengthening the structure. In most cases, for the repair to be successful,
 monolithic action (acting as one unit) between the repair material and the
 substrate concrete (the composite repair system) is needed. A prerequisite for
 monolithic action is long lasting bond between the existing concrete substrate and
 the repair material.
 The mechanisms and characteristics of bond between existing concrete and repair
 materials have been researched in the past. It is a very broad and generic
 engineering task. Thus, the scope of existing guidance and specifications on
 methods to ensure obtaining long-term bond is limited. This is mainly due to the
 lack of understanding of some of the factors that affect bond strength and
 durability of in situ repairs. Despite the relatively large pool of theoretical
 knowledge, the practical issues related to surface preparation of existing concrete
 to achieve long lasting bond are still inadequately addressed. This is
 demonstrated by the small number of ongoing research projects in the field, the
 current state of limited knowledge, the codes of practices, and in some cases the
 continued poor performance of repairs and overlays.