All Topics  
Concrete cancer

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Concrete cancer
 
 
  Topics Concrete cancer Topic Home

A euphemistic name for a failure mode of concrete
Concrete

Concrete is a construction material composed of cement as well as other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, construction aggregate , water , and Chemistry admixtures....
. If the cement component is too alkaline, it reacts with atmospheric carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide is a chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalent bond to a single carbon atom. It is a gas at standard temperature and pressure and exists in Earth's atmosphere in this state....
, and the structure will begin to deteriorate as star-shaped cracks appear which allow rainwater to penetrate. This deterioration is then accelerated by freeze-thawing of water in the cracks, which causes the surface to spall
Spall

Spall are flakes of a material that are broken off a larger solid body and can be produced by a variety of mechanisms, including as a result of projectile impact, corrosion, weathering, cavitation, or excessive rolling pressure ....
 (erode and fall away).

Treatment
Concrete cancer can be treated in some structures.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Concrete cancer'
Start a new discussion about 'Concrete cancer'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


A euphemistic name for a failure mode of concrete
Concrete

Concrete is a construction material composed of cement as well as other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, construction aggregate , water , and Chemistry admixtures....
. If the cement component is too alkaline, it reacts with atmospheric carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide is a chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalent bond to a single carbon atom. It is a gas at standard temperature and pressure and exists in Earth's atmosphere in this state....
, and the structure will begin to deteriorate as star-shaped cracks appear which allow rainwater to penetrate. This deterioration is then accelerated by freeze-thawing of water in the cracks, which causes the surface to spall
Spall

Spall are flakes of a material that are broken off a larger solid body and can be produced by a variety of mechanisms, including as a result of projectile impact, corrosion, weathering, cavitation, or excessive rolling pressure ....
 (erode and fall away).

Treatment


Concrete cancer can be treated in some structures. In order to effect repairs, the spalled concrete must be removed and any exposed steel must either be replaced or cleaned and treated. The area is then repaired to the original concrete profile using cement mortar, epoxy mortar or concrete, depending on the size of the damage and the structural requirements. Cracks are repaired using suitable epoxy resins, special mortars and injection techniques .

Incidence

The BBC quoted Professor Andrew Beeby, University of Leeds
University of Leeds

The University of Leeds is a major teaching and research university in Leeds, West Yorkshire and, with over 33,000 full-time students, one of the largest universities in the United Kingdom....
 civil engineering lecturer and a member of the Magazine of Concrete Research's editorial panel, as saying:

"Concrete cancer has enjoyed a lot of media coverage and prompted a huge amount of research. It is very rare and tends to make a structure look nasty rather than render it unsafe."


Structures said to be affected

  • Millennium Stadium
    Millennium Stadium

    The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and the Wales national football team but is also host to many other large scale events, such as Wales Rally Great Britain stage of the World Rally Championship, Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain,...
    , Wales
    Wales

    native_name = Cymru|conventional_long_name = Wales|common_name = Wales|image_flag = Flag of Wales 2.svg|national_motto = ...
     – North Stand (Part of the old National Stadium) ;
  • Pebble Mill Studios
    Pebble Mill Studios

    For the talk show, see Pebble Mill at One.The BBC Birmingham network production centre Pebble Mill was located in Edgbaston, a suburb of Birmingham, England....
    , Birmingham
    Birmingham

    Birmingham is a city status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. Birmingham is the most populous of England's English Core Cities Group, and is the List of United Kingdom cities by population British city after London, with a population of 1,010,200 ....
    , England
    England

    native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
  • ATV building
    Associated TeleVision

    Associated Television, often referred to as ATV, was a United Kingdom television company, holder of various licenses to broadcast on the ITV network from 1955 until 31 December 1981....
    , Birmingham
    Birmingham

    Birmingham is a city status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. Birmingham is the most populous of England's English Core Cities Group, and is the List of United Kingdom cities by population British city after London, with a population of 1,010,200 ....
    , England
    England

    native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
  • Express Lift Tower
    Express Lift Tower

    The Express Lift Tower is a former elevator test tower built by the Express Lift Company off the Weedon Road in Northampton, England. The structure was commissioned in 1978 with construction commencing in 1980, and was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on November 12 1982....
    , Northampton
    Northampton

    Northampton is a large market town and Non-metropolitan district in the East Midlands region of England. It is about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, and lies on the River Nene....
    , England
    England

    native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
  • Centennial Hall, Adelaide, Australia
    Australia

    Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
     (demolished in 2007)
  • King St Bridge (crossing the Patawalonga River
    Patawalonga River

    The Patawalonga River is a short river that was, before European settlement, a tidal estuary. The River is serviced by a 210 sq. km catchment that exists in metropolitan Adelaide, with its mouth at the suburb of Glenelg, South Australia....
    , Glenelg North, South Australia
    Glenelg North, South Australia

    Glenelg North is a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is mainly in the City of Holdfast Bay, but a portion lies within the City of West Torrens....
    )
  • The Kingsway Centre, Newport, South Wales
  • Several raised portions of the M6 in Birmingham
    Birmingham

    Birmingham is a city status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. Birmingham is the most populous of England's English Core Cities Group, and is the List of United Kingdom cities by population British city after London, with a population of 1,010,200 ....
    , England
    England

    native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
  • circa 1920s housing in Horfield
    Horfield

    Horfield is a suburb of the city of Bristol, in southwest England. It lies on Bristol's northern edge, its border with Filton marking part of the boundary between Bristol and South Gloucestershire....
    , Bristol
    Bristol

    Bristol is a City status in the United Kingdom, unitary authority area and Ceremonial counties of England in South West England, west of London, and east of Cardiff....
    , England
    England

    native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
  • Derby railway station in Derby
    Derby

    Derby is a city status in the United Kingdom in the East Midlands region of England in the United Kingdom. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent, Derbyshire and is located in the south of the non-metropolitan county of Derbyshire....
    , England
    England

    native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
    .
  • Keybridge House http://www.skyscrapernews.com/buildings.php?id=1458, South Lambeth Road, Vauxhall, London, England
    England

    native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
    .
  • Brisbane City Hall
    Brisbane City Hall

    Brisbane City Hall is the seat of the Brisbane City Council of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is located adjacent to King George Square, Brisbane, where the City Hall has its main entrance....
    , Brisbane, Australia.
  • The Stack, Port Kembla, Australia
    Australia

    Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....


Further reading