TECHNICAL

GUIDELINES
Prepared by the International Concrete Repair Institute February 1992
(reissued April 1996; October 2002)

Guide for Selecting

Application Methods for the
Repair of Concrete Surfaces
Guideline No. 03731

Copyright © 1996 International Concrete Repair Institute

All rights reserved.
International Concrete Repair Institute
3166 S. River Road, Suite 132, Des Plaines, IL 60018
Phone: 847-827-0830 Fax: 847-827-0832
Web: www.icri.org
E-mail: info@icri.org
943
944 CONCRETE REPAIR MANUAL

About ICRI Guidelines Task Group members for 1992 edition:

The International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI)
Peter H. Emmons, Chairman
was founded to improve the durability of concrete
repair and enhance its value for structure owners. The Kermit D. Bright
identification, development, and promotion of the most
promising methods and materials is a primary vehicle Richard P. Delargey
for accelerating advances in repair technology. Working
through a variety of forums, ICRI members have the Don Gardonio
opportunity to address these issues and to contribute
Robert Tracy
to improving the practice of concrete repair.
A principal component of this effort is to make care- Douglas G. White
fully selected information on important repair subjects
readily accessible to decision makers. During the past
several decades, much has been reported in the literature Approved for reissue by the
on concrete repair methods and materials as they have Technical Activities Committee:
been developed and refined. Nevertheless, it has been
difficult to find critically reviewed information on the Jack A. Morrow, Chairman
state of the art condensed into easy to use formats. To that
end, ICRI guidelines are prepared by sanctioned task Peter H. Emmons
groups and approved by the ICRI Technical Activities
Robert J. Gulyas
Committee. Each guideline addresses an area of practice
recognized as essential to the achievement of durable Thomas R. Kline
repairs. All ICRI guideline documents are subject to
continual review by the membership and may be revised Kennneth M. Lozen
as approved by the Technical Activities Committee.
James E. McDonald

Randall W. Poston

April 1996
This document is intended as a voluntary guideline for the
owner, design professional and concrete repair contractor. It
is not intended to relieve the professional engineer or designer
of any responsibility for the specification of concrete repair
methods, materials or practices. While we believe the infor-
mation contained herein represents the proper means to achieve
quality results, the International Concrete Repair Institute must
disclaim any liability or responsibility to those who may choose
to rely on all or any part of this guideline.

03731 Guide for the SeLeCtiNG APPLiCAtioN MethodS for the rePAir of CoNCrete SurfACeS
 SELECTING APPLICATION METHODS FOR THE REPAIR OF CONCRETE STRUCTURES
Introduction
The cause of many concrete repair failures and instances
of cost overruns can be traced to the selection of
inappropriate repair methods. This document has been
prepared to help visualize the methods commonly used
for the repair of deteriorated concrete surfaces and to
survey the applications for which each is considered to
be most suitable. It is not intended to be a detailed and
comprehensive “how-to” guide for the various methods
described, or a substitute for the recommendations of
an experienced and qualified repair specialist.
This guideline summarizes current practice for
placing cement-based repair materials. It provides
owners, engineers, material suppliers, and repair
contractors with a quick reference to assist in the selection
of suitable methods of placement. While this guideline
covers only the selection of suitable application
methods, other guidelines covering related repair
subjects are available from ICRI.
Consistent success in concrete repair begins with
the recognition that each repair situation is defined
by a unique combination of circumstances shaped
by engineering, exposure, constructibility, cost, and
time considerations. With this is in mind, users of this
guide are encouraged to make the best use of industry
resources by bringing the expertise and experience of
the engineering community, product manufacturers, and
qualified contractors into the planning process.
Engineering
Considerations
The installation method must deliver the selected repair
material to the prepared substrate with predictable
results. The properties of repair materials generally
specified are compressive strength, bond strength, shear
strength, and those properties which influence volume
changes, such as drying shrinkage, modulus of elasticity,
and coefficient of thermal expansion. Other properties
such as resistance to freezing and thawing, low perme-
ability, or sulfate resistance may be specified. The repair
material must fully encapsulate exposed reinforcing
steel, achieve satisfactory bond with the substrate,
and fill the prepared cavity without segregating. If these
requirements are not achieved, the repair will not perform
its intended purpose.
Guide for the SeLeCtiNG APPLiCAtioN MethodS for the rePAir of CoNCrete SurfACeS
945
Bonding of the repair material with the existing
substrate depends upon the repair material reacting with,
and interlocking to, the profile of the prepared concrete
surface. Some materials may require a bonding agent to
ensure intimate contact with prepared surfaces. If the
repair material is self-bonding, it must have sufficient
binder (e.g. cement paste, epoxy resin) to thoroughly
wet out the substrate.
Force must be applied to drive the repair material
into intimate contact with the prepared surface. The
type of force will vary with the application method. In
trowel applied systems, the repair material is forced
into the prepared surface by the pressure applied to the
trowel by the finisher or cement mason. In cast-in-place
systems, the pressure is provided by internal vibration,
or hydraulic pressure developed by the concrete or grout
pump. High velocity pneumatic placement techniques
develop exceptional force through impact. The dry
packing process generates pressure when the rodding
tool pounds the material against the substrate.
The requirement that repair materials be mixed and
applied without segregating is equally important. Any
segregation of material components will alter physical
properties and reduce or negate the ability of the repair
to fulfill its primary function—to restore the structure to
its original condition to the fullest extent possible.
Constructibility
Before finalizing the selection of the repair material and
the installation procedure, check the system’s construct-
ibility. To determine constructibility, the following
questions should be addressed:
• Can it be built within the constraints specified by the
engineer and the owner?
• Will the specified installation technique allow the
repairs to go into service within the time specified?
• Is the working environment conducive to the specified
installation technique?
• Are experienced contractors available for the project?
If the answer to any of these questions is no or maybe,
then the choice of repair material and installation method
should be reassessed.
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946 CONCRETE REPAIR MANUAL
Selection
The selection of a suitable repair material and application
method should proceed in this sequence:
1 Select the repair material providing the strength and
durability properties which best restore the integrity
of the original design.
2 Select a method of placement which will success-
fully place the repair material onto the prepared
concrete.
3 Review the physical properties and placement
requirements for the repair material to ensure the
constructibility of the selected repair system.
4 Change the material or application method as needed
to provide a constructible repair.
When trade-offs need to be made, the long-term dura-
bility of the repair system is far more important than
the ease of application.
03731- Guide for the SeLeCtiNG APPLiCAtioN MethodS for the rePAir of CoNCrete SurfACeS
Quality Assurance
and Quality Control
The combination of the working conditions, the repair
contractor, the existing concrete material, the structure
design, and the repair material, is unique to every project.
Much can go wrong without proper quality assurance
and routine quality control. Start by selecting a qualified
contractor who can demonstrate successful long-term
repairs using the intended installation method. If any
questions remain unanswered regarding the contractor’s
qualifications, the repair material, or the installation
technique, consider a pilot project.
During the actual repairs, develop a feedback system
to verify compliance with the engineering requirements
established for the project. Physical properties of the
materials can be confirmed by sampling at the time of
placement, by in-place testing, or by using core sampling
techniques. Bond strengths can be verified by coring
through the repair and into the substrate, followed by
applying a tensile force to the core.[1] Consolidation of
the materials can be verified with visual observations
of extracted cores and in-place testing.
[1] Suitable direct tensile test methods are described in ACI 503R
“Use of Epoxy Compounds with Concrete,” Appendix A–Test
Methods, Manual of Concrete Practice.
 SELECTING APPLICATION METHODS FOR THE REPAIR OF CONCRETE STRUCTURES 947

Application Methods
Trowel applied
General description: Repair material is mixed into a
trowelable, non-sag consistency. Trowels or other
suitable placing tools are used to transport the repair
material to the prepared substrate. The repair material
is pressed into the substrate to develop intimate contact
without voids.
Best application: Surface restoration when reinforcing
steel is not encountered.
Material requirements: Fine-grained material easily
finished, with non-sag properties to stay in place in
vertical or overhead applications.

Dry packing
General description: Repair material is mixed into a
uniform, cohesive plastic state, then transported to a
confined space and compacted with rodding tools to
produce a dense repair material.
Best application: Post-tensioning grout pockets; tie
holes; pan joist bottoms; waffle pan joists; vertical,
overhead and horizontal locations.
Material requirements: Mortar with consistency capable
of being molded into a ball without sagging.
Reference: Headquarters, United States Army Corps of
Engineers (1995), “Evaluation and Repair of Concrete
Structures,” EM 1110-2-2002, Washington, D.C.

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948 CONCRETE REPAIR MANUAL

Form and cast-in-place

(Partial-depth replacement)
General description: The placement of repair material
into a confined space with formwork defining all
exposed boundaries. Repair materials are deposited
into the formwork and consolidated by rodding or
conventional vibration.
Best application: Columns, walls, and exterior slab
edges.
Material requirements: Castable concrete or mortar
with proper bond properties, low shrinkage, low water/
cement ratio, and a highly flowable mixture.
Reference: ACI 304R,[2] “Guide for Measuring, Mixing,
Transporting, and Placing Concrete”

Form and cast-in-place

(Full-depth replacement)
General description: In lieu of partial-depth repairs,
the member in question can be removed and replaced
in total. Placement methods should follow good
concrete practice.
Best application: When deterioration is extensive
throughout the member.
Material requirements: Conventional cast-in-place
concrete with low shrinkage, low water-cement ratio,
and a highly workable mixture.
Reference: ACI 304R, “Guide for Measuring, Mixing,
Transporting, and Placing Concrete”

[2] References cited in this manner are from the ACI

Manual of Concrete Practice, American Concrete
Institute, Farmington Hills, MI.

03731- Guide for the SeLeCtiNG APPLiCAtioN MethodS for the rePAir of CoNCrete SurfACeS
 SELECTING APPLICATION METHODS FOR THE REPAIR OF CONCRETE STRUCTURES 949

Form and pump

General description: Repair material is mixed and
pumped via concrete line connected to the formwork,
until the cavity is filled and pressurized. Consolidation
and bonding is provided by the internal form pressure.
Best application: Overhead and vertical applications
where congested reinforcing is present. Beam bottoms,
ribs, slab soffits, or sectionalized areas.
Material requirements: Pumpable, good flow character-
istics, self-bonding, aggregate size compatible with size
of cavity and space between bars.
Reference: ACI 304.2R, “Placing Concrete by Pumping
Methods”

Preplaced aggregate
General description: Gap-graded aggregate is placed
into formed cavity. Grout is then pumped into form via
grout pump until all voids are filled and pressurized.
Shrinkage is minimal because of aggregate contact
and volume.
Best application: Vertical and overhead applications
where extremely low shrinkage of repair material is
required; column enlargements.
Material requirements: Gap-graded aggregate (40-50%
void ratio), pumpable grout, self-bonding portland
cement or resin-based binder. One inch (25 mm)
or larger aggregate typically used in cementitious
applications.
Reference: ACI 304.1R, “Guide for the Use of Preplaced
Aggregate Concrete for Structural and Mass Concrete
Applications”

Guide for the SeLeCtiNG APPLiCAtioN MethodS for the rePAir of CoNCrete SurfACeS 03731-
950 CONCRETE REPAIR MANUAL

Dry-mix shotcrete
General description: Repair material is placed dry
or slightly damp into shotcrete machine and mixed with
compressed air. The mixture is transported via hose to
the exit nozzle where water and admixtures, if any,
are introduced. The ingredients are propelled onto the
prepared substrate by the force of the compressed air.
Best application: Large vertical and overhead areas
with small bars, No. 6 (19 mm)[3] or less, and minimal
congestion of embedded reinforcement.
Material requirements: Well-graded aggregate with
necessary binders (usually portland cement). Mixture
must be proportioned to compensate for rebound
losses. Admixtures are frequently used to shorten set
time, and/or to allow thicker layers to be built-up in a
single pass.
Reference: ACI 506.2, “Guide to Shotcrete”

Wet-mix shotcrete
General description: Pre-batched and thoroughly mixed
repair material is placed into a concrete pump and
transported via pump line to an exit nozzle where
compressed air and admixtures, if any, are introduced.
The repair material is propelled onto the surface by the
compressed air.
Best application: Large vertical areas with small bars,
No. 6 (19 mm)[3] or less, and minimal congestion of
embedded reinforcement.
Material requirements: Pumpable, low-slump mixture
which does not sag when impacted on the prepared
substrate.
Reference: ACI 506.2, “Guide to Shotcrete”

[3] As there are presently no generally accepted conversion

standards for reinforcing steel, the ASTM A615 #6 has been
rounded to the nearest millimeter.

03731- Guide for the SeLeCtiNG APPLiCAtioN MethodS for the rePAir of CoNCrete SurfACeS