Protection of concrete columns suffering from soft water attack.
Background
The structure of the Gowanbank Service Reservoir is supported by a total of 170 circular concrete columns, each close to 5 metres in height.
Soft water chemical attack had caused erosion of the cement binder, leaving exposed aggregates on the surface with potential for further degradation. The client invested in a major study of different generic coating systems before deciding on the best solution to repair the damage.
The Solution
Once the surfaces had been prepared by high pressure water blasting back to a sound substrate, surface re-profiling was undertaken with Monolevel 844SP applied directly to the pre-dampened concrete in an average thickness of just 3mm. Approved by the Drinking Water Inspectorate, Monolevel 844SP cures to form a dense impermeable finish with excellent resistance to soft water attack. Being cement-based, a homogeneous bond is achieved with the host concrete, and high humidity does not interfere with the curing mechanism. Speed of installation is another advantage which adds to the attraction of Monolevel 844SP.
Client
East of Scotland Water
Project Profile - Gowan Bank Reservoir