COUPLED POLYMER-ORGANOSILANES FOR REPAIR OF CONCRETE STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS

THERE IS AN EMPHATIC NEED FOR RESEARCH INTO INNOVATIVE TECHNIQUES/MATERIALS TO REPAIR AND REHABILITATE OUR NATION'SEXISTING CONCRETE ROADWAYS, BRIDGES AND BUILDING SYSTEMS. PRESENT METHODS/MATERIALS EMPLOYED GENERALLY RESULT IN INADEQUATE SERVICE LIFE OF THE REPAIRS. ONE OF THE DOMINANTFACTORS AFFECTING THE PERFORMANCE OF REPAIRS IS THE FAILURE OF THE BONDLINE OR INTERFACE BETWEEN THE REPAIR MATERIAL ANDHOST CONCRETE. PROPOSED HEREIN IS AN EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH TO ASSESS THE FEASIBILITY OF AN INNOVATIVE AND PROMISING CONCEPT FOR SUBSTANTIALLY ENHANCING BONDING BETWEEN CONCRETE SURFACES AND POLYMER CONCRETE FILLER MATERIALS BY CREATING SUPERIOR INTERFACIAL CHEMICAL BONDS WITH THE USE OF SILANE COUPLING AGENTS. THE MERITS OF FOUR POLYMER CONCRETE-ORGANOSILANE SYSTEMS WILL BE EVALUATED, ALONG WITH THE PROPER PRE-TREATMENT OF CONCRETE SURFACES PRIOR TO THE APPLICATION OF THE MATERIALS.THE APPLICATION OF SILANE COUPLING AGENTS CAN DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE BONDING CHARACTERISTICS (VERY HIGH WATER RESISTANCE AND SUPERIOR SHEAR STRENGTH), AND THEREBY PROMOTE OVERALL IMPROVEMENT IN THE SERVICE PERFORMANCE OF REPAIRED STRUCTURES. THE PROPOSED APPROACH ALSO HAS SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL FOR PRACTICAL APPLICATION IN THE FIELD.