Costa Rica Construction – The Pathology of Concrete

Concrete Structures Can Suffer Damages. Be Careful!

Concrete is often used in building because of its resistance, durability and ease of application. But, over the long term it can be altered by natural phenomena: tremors, hurricanes or floods or suffer chemical and biological atmospheric attacks.

A simple beam or an entire structure can be altered by what is called “the pathology of concrete.”

The Institute of Cement and Concrete determines the current condition of a structure with a systematic study of the processes and characteristics of deterioration or the defects and damages that concrete can suffer; its causes, consequences and remedies.

Knowing the pathology of concrete helps predict its behavior with greater certainty and allows for corrective measures to be taken in advance. Having a study done on a building that is threatened by damage or showing signs of damage can make the difference in saving the building.

One of the worst pathologies is rusting of the steel inside reinforced concrete, especially in those buildings exposed to continuous humidity, or running water or are immersed in salt water.

Causes of Damage in Concrete

1. Mechanical: seismic activity, earth movement, abrasion, vibrations, etc. These damages can be verified by the presence of fissures or cracks in structures.
2. Physical: Changes in temperature or fires can cause deformities, expansion, erosion or loss of mass in the concrete.
3. Chemical: Reactions to acids or sulfates, for example, in buildings in constant contact with the sea.
4. Biological: Concrete can be affected by molds, bacteria, algae, lichens, moss or rust in metals. The most common symptoms are stains on surfaces, change in color and water retention.

Each of these causes deserves special attention whether the structure is old or new.

Special care must be taken with salinity, acid rain or lacking rain, the deposit of dry materials that can stick to the surface and damage it. Exposed concrete is the most susceptible to this. The concrete mixture should be designed with these factors in mind.

When there are problems, careful studies need to be made to determine if they are because of initial structure error or if they were acquired over the years. Repairs can be range from resealing to restructuring the building. The last resort is demolition.

A pathological study is recommended for buildings that have suffered in earthquakes or other violent acts of nature and for structures that are more than 30 years old, especially if their use is to be changed or remodeling is planned.

Our thanks to Gloriana Gomez and our friends at La Nación – Costa Rica’s largest Spanish circulation newspaper for their permission use this article.

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Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.