What is Spalling Concrete Repair?
The term “Spalling” refers to chipping or flaking that happens with artificial surfaces like concrete.
Over time, the concrete can deteriorate, revealing the coarse aggregate beneath the smooth surface. When that happens… you’ve got concrete spalling issues. Identifying the problem is just the beginning. The deeper question is understanding why the spalling began, and what can be done to fix it. There could be chemical or physical processes at play, environmental conditions — even the way the concrete was originally mixed might have an impact on why it began spalling. Here are several common causes of concrete spalling:
Corrosion
Corrosion of the reinforcing steel or rebar beneath the surface of the concrete produces rust. That causes volume expansion, which puts pressure on the concrete. Over time, that additional pressure causes spalling.
Alkali-Silica Reactions
Alkali-silica reactions happen when an alkaline cement paste reacts with the silica in the concrete aggregate. Like the rust from rebar corrosion, this reaction causes volume expansion, which can lead to spalling over time.
Water
Water penetration is a major cause of concrete spalling. If water penetrates the concrete, it can freeze and thaw with the seasons. After a hard freeze, the frozen water in the concrete expands, causing spalling.
In addition to the above causes, Alpha Structural assessors have witnessed spalling due to low-quality concrete, badly-constructed joints, bond failure, and fire damage. The only way to be sure is to have our trained and experienced assessors visit your property and review the situation firsthand.
