ACI 548.

5R-94
Reapproved 1998
Guide for Polymer Concrete Overlays
Reported by ACI Committee 548
D. Gerry Walters Borys F. Schafran*
Chairman Secretary

John J. Bartholomew David W. Fowler William C. McBee Surendra P. Shah

Douglas J. Bolton Arthur H. Gerber Peter Mendis* W. Glenn Smoak
W. Barry Butler George C. Hoff John R. Milliron Joe Solomon
Robert R. Cain Craig W. Johnson Richard Montani Michael M. Sprinkel*
Paul D. Carter* Albert O. Kaeding John A. Morrow Cumaras Vipulanandan
Frank Constantino John F. Kane Larry C. Muszynski Alan H. Vroom
Glenn W. DePuy Albert J. Klail Michael J. OBrien Harold H. Weber, Jr.
Floyd E. Dimmick* Paul D. Krauss Sandor Popovics Ron P. Webster
William T. Dohner Louis A. Kuhlman Kenneth A. Poss David P. Whitney*
Larry J. Farrell William Lee John R. Robinson Janet L Zuffa
Jack J. Fontana* Henry N. Marsh, Jr. Emanuel J. Scarpinato

*Members of the committee who prepared this guide.

In addition to those listed above, the following associate and consulting members of Committee 548 contributed to this guide: John AIexanderson, Hiran P. Ball, Jr.,
Satish Chandra, Zhi-Yuan Chen, Arthur M. Dinitz, Ben C. Gerwick, Jr, Makoto Kawakami, Mohamed S. Khan, Reiner Kreii Deon Kruger, Dah-Yinn Lee, Roman
Malinowski, Stella L. Marusin, Charles R. McClaskey, J. Karl Mindnich, Yoshihiko Ohama, Richard C. Prusinski, WiIfried H. Reisterer, and Walter G. Ryan.

This guide provides an overview of thin (less than 1 in. thick) polymer con- 2.5-Methacrylates
crete (PC) overlays for concrete and steel substrates. Emphasis is placed on 2.6-Polyurethanes
their we in the transportation sector, specifically for bridge decks and
parking garages. Surface preparation, application, evaluation, maintenance,
and safety aspects are included. Chapter 3-Polymer concrete, pg. 548.5R-8
3.l-General
Keywords: application; bonding; bridge decks; epoxies; maintenance; metha- 3.2-Aggregates
crylates; overlays; parking garage decks; permeability; polyesters; polymer
concrete; polyurethanes; resurfacing; skid resistance; surface preparation. 3.3-Properties of PC

Chapter 4-Surface preparation, pg. 548.5R-10

CONTENTS 4.l-General
4.2-Concrete
Chapter l-Introduction, pg. 548.5R-2 4.3-Steel
1.1-General 4.4-Evaluation of surface preparation
1.2-History of PC overlays
1.3-Scope Chapter 5-Application of PC overlays, pg. 548.5R-12
1.4-Glossary 5.1-General
5.2-Multiple layer overlay
Chapter 2-Polymer binders, pg. 548.5R-5 5.3-Premixed polymer concrete application
2.1-General
2.2-Properties of polymer binders Chapter 6-Evaluation procedure for quality control and
2.3-Epoxies long-term performance, pg. 548.5R-16
2.4-Polyesters 6.1-Quality control needs
l
6.2-Prequalification tests for polymer components
ACI Committee Reports, Guides, Standard Practices, and 6.3-Other considerations
Commentaries are intended for guidance in designing, plan-
ning, executing, or inspecting construction and in preparing ACI 5485R-94 became effective Jan. 1, 1994.
specifications. References to these documents shall not be Copyright Q 1993, American Concrete Institute.
made in the Project Documents. If items found in these All rights reserved, including rights of reproduction and use in any form or by
documents are desired to be a part of the Project Docu- any means, including the making of copies by any photo process, or by any elec-
ments, they should be phrased in mandatory language and tronic or mechanical device, printed, written, or oral, or recording for sound or
visual reproduction or for use in any knowledge or retrieval system or device,
incorporated into the Project Documents. unless permission in writing is obtained from the copyright proprietors.

548.5R-1
548.5R-2 ACI COMMITTEE REPORT

Chapter 7-Maintenance and repair, pg. 548.5R-16 exhibit better chloride resistance than other concrete
7.1-General overlays, offering a nonskid wearing surface in addition
7.2-Sources of maintenance needs to both concrete and steel protection (Carter 1990;
7.3-Repair methods Krauss 1988; and Sprinkel 1989).
Lastly, PC overlays can be installed without expensive
Chapter 8--Handling and safety, pg. 548.5R-21 equipment. However, technical expertise is required.
8.1-General Maintaining quality control is important, and surface pre-
8.2-General hazards paration is a job aspect that requires close attention.
8.3-Safe handling of overlay components 1.1.2 Disadvantages-A disadvantage associated with
8.4-What to do in case of direct contact PC overlays is that they must be applied to dry surfaces.
8.5-Transferring safely The workability and curing rate of PC overlays are
8.6-Cleanup solvents dependent on application temperature.
8.7-Disposal
8.8-Equipment 1.2-History of PC overlays
8.9-Education of personnel PC overlays date back to the 1950s, with original sys-
8.10-Safety publications tems consisting of a single layer of coal tar epoxy
broomed over the substrate and seeded with fine aggre-
Chapter 9-References, pg. 548.5R-23 gate. These overlays were relatively porous and did not
9.1-Specified references stand up well to heavy traffic. In the early 1960s, a light-
9.2-Cited references colored, oil-extended epoxy came into use in an attempt
to improve waterproofing capability.
Appendix, pg. 548.5R-25 By the mid 1960s, broom-and-seed polyester resins
and methyl methacrylate overlays were introduced. The
CHAPTER l-INTRODUCTION first premixed and screeded polymer and aggregate sys-
tems also appeared at this time. Thicker, more brittle
l.l-General layers were used, frequentIy debonding due to thermal
Todays environment is becoming increasingly hostile incompatibility with the concrete substrate. Through trial
to reinforced concrete, steel grid, and steel decks from and error, resin formulations have been modified to pro-
exposure to deicing salts, and environmental factors such vide better thermal compatibility and improved physical
as acid rain and pollution chemicals. Escalating costs of properties. Resistance to chemical and mechanical attack
renovation and replacement for bridges and parking and performance under adverse installation conditions
structures have promoted such construction and mainten- have also been the subject of extensive development.
ance options as high-density concrete overlays, latex- Polymer overlays have become successful, although
modified concrete overlays, membrane/asphalt systems, some problems still exist. Many of these problems are the
cathodic-protection systems, epoxy-coated reinforcing result of improper application techniques, often due to a
bars, and thin polymer concrete (PC) overlays. lack of understanding of polymer materials.
Each option has advantages and disadvantages that There has been some improvement in PC materials
should be carefully analyzed before a choice is made. and technology in recent years. PC overlays are now gen-
Costs vary by region with the availability of materials and erally specified with flexible resins and wear-resistant
experienced contractors. In addition, the life expectancies aggregates. Workmanship and inspection techniques have
of these systems are different and in many cases not fully also improved, as an understanding of the causes and
known. prevention of PC overlay defects continues to increase at
Although designed for a definite service life, bridges a rapid rate.
and parking decks contain structural elements that are
susceptible to premature failures due to exposure and to 1.3-Scope
wear from high traffic volumes. Improved maintenance This guide is intended to aid in the proper selection
costs and the limited downtime available for repairs and use of PC overlays for structures in the transporta-
make PC overlays an attractive solution. tion industry, focusing primarily on bridge and parking
1.1.1 Advantages-Compared to other overlay systems, garage decks. Materials discussed are epoxies, polyesters,
PC overlays can be cost effective. Rapid cure character- methacrylates, and polyurethanes, for application on
istics minimize disruptions and traffic control costs, and either concrete or steel surfaces.
ease the inconvenience of repair scheduling. With typical In general, these overlays are used for the protection
dead load increases of 2 to 6 lb/ft2 (10 to 30 kg/m2), their of the underlying substrate and are designed to be flex-
use results in relatively greater live load capacity than ible, waterproof, etc. Although similar polymeric mater-
conventional systems, a critical factor for aging structures. ials are used in PCs for patching and repairs, overlays are
At application thicknesses of up to % in. (9.5 mm), PC formulated with greater resiliency and stress-relieving
overlays do not require modification of expansion dams characteristics. Such characteristics are necessary to
or drainage gratings. They are highly impermeable and withstand breakdown from repeated freeze-thaw cycles.
 POLYMER CONCRETE OVERLAYS 548.5R-3

These are, therefore, a distinctly different class of Cure time-The interval after mixing in which a PC
materials and should be treated as such. system gains adequate strength for fast and/or vehicular
In addition to describing the characteristics of PC traffic; see also Curing, Working Life.
overlays, this guide includes chapters on surface pre- Curing-The change in properties of a chemical by an
paration, application, evaluation, maintenance, and increase in molecular weight via polymerization or cross-
safety. The information should allow the reader to select linking, usually accomplished by the action of heat, cata-
materials for a given application, and may serve as the lyst, cross-linking agent, curing agent, or any combin-
basis for the preparation of overlay specifications. ation, with or without pressure (ACI 503.5R).
Curing agent--See Hardener.
1.4-Glossary Dermatitis -Inflammation of the skin (Websters
AASHTO-American Association of State Highway 1973).
and Transportation Officials. Epoxy resin-A condensation product of bisphenol A
A/B component- T h e individual parts of a polymer and epichlorohydrin, terminated by at least two highly
binder system. The components typically consist of (a) reactive epoxy groups, from which they derive their
promoted resin and (b) curing agent/hardener. name.
ASTM-American Society for Testing and Materials. FHWA-Federal Highway Administration, U.S. De-
AWWA-American Water Works Association. partment of Transportation.
Binders -Materials such as asphalt, resins, and other Filler-Finely divided inert material such as pulverized
materials forming the matrix of concretes, mortars, and limestone, silica, or colloidal substances sometimes added
sanded grouts (ACI 116R). to portland cement, paint, or other materials to reduce
Bond strength-The ability of a PC to adhere to its shrinkage, improve workability, or act as an extender
substrate. Bond strengths of PCs depend on the adhesion (ACI 116R).
and cohesion properties of their respective binders and Flammable liquid--Any liquid having a flash point
primers. Minimum acceptable bond strengths for PC below 100 F (38 C) (49 CFR*l73.115).
overlay systems should be equal to or greater than the Flash point-The minimum temperature at which a
shear strength of the substrate. liquid gives off vapor within a test vessel in sufficient
Broom and seed-The method of PC application in concentration to form an ignitable mixture with air near
which alternate layers of resin and aggregate are built up the surface of the liquid.
to form an overlay. In the simplest form of application, Flexural strength-A property of a material or structur-
the resin is distributed onto the deck with brooms imme- al member that indicates its ability to resist failure in
diately followed by the broadcasting or seeding of aggre- bending (ACI 116R).
gate. HMWM (high-molecular-weight-methacrylate)-A low-
Catalyst -A substance that markedly speeds up the viscosity substituted methacrylate monomer that is char-
curing of a binder when added in minor quantity as com- acterized by low volatility.
pared to the amounts of primary reactants (ASTM Hardener-The chemical component that causes the
D 907). resin to cure (ACI 116R).
CFR-Code of Federal Regulations, published by the Impermeable-Not permitting passage, as of a fluid,
Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and through its substance (Websters 1973). See Permeability,
Records Administration. Permeance.
Coefficient of thermal expansion-Change in linear Initiator-A substance capable of causing the polymer-
dimension per unit length, or change in volume per unit ization of a monomer by a chain reaction mechanism
volume, per degree of temperature change (ACI 116R). (ACI 503.5R); often incorrectly called a catalyst (ACI
Compressive strength-The measured maximum resis- 548R).
tance of a concrete or mortar specimen to axial loading; Laitance-A layer of weak and nondurable material
expressed as force per unit cross-sectional area (ACI containing cement and fines from aggregates brought by
116R). bleeding water to the top of overwet concrete, the
Crazing-The formation of small crack-like cavities in amount of which is generally increased by overworking or
a material running perpendicular to the direction of overmanipulating concrete at the surface by improper
stressing in the polymer (Alger 1989). finishing or by job traffic (ACI 116R).
Creep-Time-dependent deformation due to sustained Methacrylate-One of a group of resins formed by
load (ACI 116R). polymerizing the esters or amides of acrylic acids (ACI
Cross-linking-The joining of preformed linear poly- 503.5R).
mer chains to each other to form three-dimensional net- Methyl methacrylate-A colorless, volatile liquid de-
works. rived from acetone cyanohydrin, methanol, and dilute
Cross-linking agent -Bifunctional or polyfunctional sulfuric acid.
monomer or polymer whose addition to a polymer system MSHA-Mine, Safety & Health Administration.
increases the rigidity, the resistance to solvents, and the MSDS--Material Safety Data Sheet.
softening point of the polymer (ACI 503.5R). Modulus of elasticity-The ratio of normal stress to
548.5R-4 ACI COMMlTTEE REPORT

corresponding strain for tensile or compressive stresses a liquid or plastic mixture is usable (ASTM D 907).
below the proportional limit of the material; referred to Premix system-Aggregates and binder are combined
as elastic modulus of elasticity, Youngs modulus, and or mixed together before placement of the system.
Youngs modulus of elasticity, denoted by the symbol E Prepolymer-A polymer, often of low molecular
(ACI 116R). A l ow modulus generally indicates a higher weight, i.e., a few hundred or thousand, which is sub-
elongation but lower strength than a high modulus. sequently to be converted to a higher molecular weight
Mohs scale-A relative scale of the hardness of polymer (Alger 1989).
minerals, arbitrarily reading from 1 to 10 (Mottara, Promoters--Often called accelerators, promoters are
Crespi, and Liborio 1978). reducing agent compounds added to the monomer system
Monomer-An organic liquid of relatively low mole- to cause the decomposition of the peroxide initiators in
cular weight that creates a solid polymer by reacting with the system (ACI 548R).
itself or other compounds of low molecular weight or Reflective cracking-The phenomenon where cracks
both (ACI 116R). form in the overlay directly over existing cracks in the
NACE--National Association of Corrosion Engineers. substrate.
NIOSH--National Institute for Occupational Safety Resin-Certain liquid prepolymer products, such as
and Health. unsaturated polyester and epoxy prepolymers, which are
OSHA-Occupational Safety and Health Administra- subsequently cross-linked to form hardened polymer
tion. (Alger 1989).
Organic peroxides--Sources of free radicals used as 1) Rutting-The formation of a depression in the overlay
initiators for free radical polymerization and/or copoly- due to the excessive loading and abrasive wearing action
merization of vinyl and diene monomers; 2) curing agents of traffic.
for thermoset resins; and 3) cross-linking agents for elas- Scarification-Scarification is the process of scratch-
tomers (Kamath 1967). ing, cutting, or chipping the substrate surface for the pur-
Permeability-The arithmetic product of permeance pose of cleaning and texturing it.
and thickness (ASTM E 96). Schmidt hammer-A device used to measure the re-
Permeance-The time rate of water vapor transmis- bound number of concrete, which is an indicator of the
sion through unit area of flat material or construction concrete properties (ACI 228.1R).
induced by unit vapor pressure difference between two Sensitization-The act, process, or result of sensitizing
specific surfaces, under specified temperature and or making sensitive.
humidity conditions (ASTM E 96). Skid resistance-A measure of the frictional character-
Plasticizer-A substance or a material incorporated istics of a surface (ACI 116R).
into a plastic or elastomer to increase its flexibility, Skinning-In PC, the loss of patches of material from
workability, or distensibility. the top surface of the overlay, usually associated with
Polishing-The excessive abrasion of wearing course overworking it.
aggregates due to traffic loads and the environment. SSPC-Steel Structures Painting Council, 4516 Henry
Polyester-One of a group of resins, mainly produced Street, Suite 301, Pittsburg, PA, 15213-3728. Specifies
by reaction of unsaturated dibasic acids with dihydroxy preparation and painting for steel in their Steel Struc-
alcohols; commonly dissolved in a vinyl group monomer tures Painting Manual, V. 2, Systems and Specifications,
such as styrene (ACI 548R). SSPC No. 5.
Polymer--The product of polymerization; more com- Substrate-The material surface on which a PC over-
monly a rubber or resin consisting of large molecules lay is placed.
formed by polymerization (ACI 548R). Surface failure-In PC, the loss of top surface aggre-
Polymer concrete (PC)-Polymer concrete is a compo- gates from the polymer binder.
site material in which the fine and coarse aggregates are Surface seeding-The application of aggregate to the
bound together in a dense matrix with a polymer binder freshly applied PC overlay to provide intercoat adhesion
(ACI 548R). or to act as the wearing course.
Polymer mortar (PM)-Polymer mortar is a composite Surface tining-The scoring or grooving of the PC
material of fine aggregates bound together by an organic overlay to provide for drainage and/or additional skid
polymer. resistance.
Polyurethane-Reaction product of an isocyanate with Tensile strength-Maximum unit stress that a material
any of a wide variety of other components containing an is capable of resisting under axial tensile loading; based
active hydrogen group (ACI 503R). on the cross-sectional area of the specimen before load-
Portland cement concrete (PCC)-A composite mater- ing (ACI 116R).
ial that consists essentially of a binding medium within Thermal compatibility-The ability of a PC to with-
which are embedded particles or fragments of aggregate; stand thermally induced stresses and strains without de-
the binder is a mixture of portland cement and water bonding from a substrate (ASTM C 884).
(ACI 116R). Ultraviolet (UVI) light-Invisible light having a wave
Pot life-Time interval after preparation during which length between 290 and 400 mm (Winter and Shing
 POLYMER CONCRETE OVERLAYS 548.5R-5

1985). X 10V3 Pa s); 200 to 500 cps (200 to 500 X 10-3 Pa s)

l l

Viscosity-The measure of the property of a material

that resists change in the shape of its elements during .
may represent the consistency of light motor oil, over
100,000 cps (100,000 x low3 Pa s) would be typical of
flow. For polymers, viscosity is typically measured using molasses. Binder resins with a low initial viscosity are
a Brookfield viscometer, with values expressed in poise suitable for highly fiied PCs prepared by the premix
(p) or centipoise (cps) (ACI 116R). method. Higher viscosities may be required for broom-
Wear--The deterioration of a surface due to traffic, and-seed methods of application, where the proper coat-
use, and/or the environment. ing of aggregates and reduction of binder runoff must
Weathering-Changes in color, texture, strength, chem- be insured.
ical composition, or other properties of a material due to The working life of the binder is dependent upon the
the action of the weather (ACI 116R). amount mixed, its temperature, and the ambient temper-
W hite metal surface-A metal substrate that has been ature. As more material is mixed in bulk, or as the am-
abrasively blast-cleaned to SP-5 condition (Steel Struc- bient temperature increases, the working life is reduced.
tures Painting Council 1989). Working life of the catalyzed binder can be determined
Working life--The time period between the mixing of by observing a sample weighing of 2 to 4 oz (approxi-
a PC and the point at which its viscosity has become too mately 50 to 100 g), in a container until it begins to
high to be workable, or too high to bond properly to the solidify. The time recorded does not describe the exact
substrate. working life of the aggregate-filled PC, which should be
determined separately. It is useful, however, in that it is
CHAPTER 2-POLYMER BINDERS related to the reactivity of the resin and is indicative of
the time required to cure.
2.1-General Resins and their curing agents may be toxic before
Polymer concrete (PC) is a class of composite mater- cure. Toxicity potential varies widely from one system to
ials which includes a broad group of organically bound another, even within the same polymer family. Contact
mortars and concretes, each with its own distinctive pro- may result in simple allergic reactions such as dermatitis,
perties. Familiarity with the properties of each group is which generally disappears when the affected individual
essential to understanding PCs. stops handling the material. Unprotected exposure could
The resins used as binders for the formulation of PCs lead to more serious hazards. It is for these reasons that
are monomers or polymer/monomer solutions that are toxicity information, handling precautions, and disposal
mixed at the time of application with their respective procedures supplied by the manufacturer be understood
curing agents. Selected, graded aggregates are used as and observed. In general, protective clothing, adequate
the filler component. The cured polymer serves as the ventilation, and cleanliness are necessary.
binder for the aggregate particles in the same manner All resins will burn under certain conditions. Flam-
that portland cement acts to bind conventional concrete mable components of a polymer system may ignite under
together. high concentrations of vapor in air, especially when their
The polymer families most commonly used for the flash points are within the range of temperatures found
preparation of PC overlays are epoxies, polyesters, meth- under ambient conditions.
acrylates, and polyurethanes. Handling and safety of PC are covered in Chapter 8.
The chemical compositions of each of these polymer 2.2.2 Cured properties-Properties of cured polymer
binders are distinctly different, and the PCs they form binders contribute to the behavior of the PCs made from
have varying properties. While more than one system them and thus dictate their uses. Knowledge of proper-
may be used for most applications, some systems are ties of the binders such as compressive, tensile, and
more suitable for specific conditions. flexural strength are important in determining key char-
acteristics not easily measured in the PC.
2.2-Properties of polymer binders The bond strengths of polymer binders directly affect
Polymer binders are classified by both uncured and the bond of their corresponding PCs to various sub-
cured properties that are measured in the laboratory ac- strates. They are also important factors when these
. cording to industry standards. The nature of these pro- binder resins are used as primers prior to the application
perties and their relationship to the performance of the of an overlay system.
PCs are described as follows. Bond strength depends upon the cleanliness, sound-
2.2.1 Uncured properties--The uncured properties of ness, texture, and moisture content of the substrate, a
polymer binders are related to their handling character- fact to be kept in mind when considering the use of any
istics. In addition to methods of application, environmen- polymer system. Methods of preparation, testing, and
tal conditions may dictate the use of selected systems. general precautions described in Chapter 3 should be
Polymer binders may be distinguished by the viscosi- carefully observed.
ties of the individual or mixed components. These values
may range from 1 to 10,000 cps (1 to 10,000 X 10m3 Pa * 2.3-Epoxies
s). In comparison, the viscosity of water is near 1 cps (1 2.3.1 Description -Epoxy systems used as binders for
548.5R-6 ACI COMMITTEE REPORT

Table 2.3.2(a)--Typical uncured properties of epoxy Table 2.4.2(b)-Typical physical properties of cured
binders for PC overlays polyester binders for PC overlays

Working life Property Value, U.S. Value. SI Test method

Viscosity (gel time) Health hazard Flash point
Bond strength Min. 1000 psi 7 MPa ASTM C 882
200-2000 10-60 min Yes* Over 400 F
centipoise 200- See Section (204 C) for 100 Coefficient of 20-50 X lo 36-90 X 10-5 900ASTM D 696
2000 x lo-3 P a thermal expansion in./in./deg F mm/mm/deg C
.s (ASTM D
(AASHTO
T -237)
8.3.5 percent solid
polymerst
Tensile strength Min. 2000 psi 14 MPa ASTM D 638
2393)
Tensile elongation Min. 30 Min. 30 percent ASTM D 638
* Follow the manufacturers safety instructions. percent
t Some epoxy systems may contain solvents and have lower fiash points. They
should not be used as biers for PC overlays Modulus of 3.5-9.0 X 104 24-6.2 X 10s ASTM D 638
elasticity, tensile psi MPa ASTM D 695
and compressive
Table 2.3.2(b)-Typical physical properties of cured
epoxy binders for PC overlays Curing shriukaget l-3 percent l-3 percent ASTM D 955

l Polyester molecules depend on mechanical bonds for their adhesion to

substrates. In their uncured state, they are sensitive to humidity and water,
and therefore, they should be applied only to dry surfaces. Cured poly-
esters may also be sensitive to alkaline conditions. Prolonged exposure to
alkaline conditions may cause loss of bond.
t These levels of shrinkage are not negligible and may result in de-
bonding or cracking. Shrinkage is caused primarily by the nature of the
cross-linking. The use of fillers and aggregates and shrinkage-compen-
sating additives help reduce the shrinkage, which is the reason that high-
Tensile strength Min. 200 psi* 1 Min. 14 MPa 1 ASTM D 638 aggregate loadings are essential in the formulation of poiyester overlays.
Tensile elongation Mm. 30 Min. 30 percent ASTM D 638
percent PC overlays are two-component systems, one component
I I containing the epoxy resin and the second the curing or
hardening agent. Because of their specific molecular
structure, epoxy polymers develop strong bonds to port-
land cement concrete, steel, and many other surfaces.
Neither the uncured nor the cured binders are affected
by the presence of alkalinity; therefore, they are par-
* Tensile strengths lower than 2000 psi (14 MPa) may indicate impro- ticularly useful when applied to concrete. A variety of
perly fkxiii binders. curing agents, plasticizers, and other additives affect the
properties of the cured epoxy. These properties include
mechanical properties, flexibility, creep resistance, rate of
strength development, and the ability to cure and per-
Table 2.4.2(a)-Typical uncured properties of polyester form within a wide range of temperatures and moisture
binders for PC overlays levels. Epoxy systems can be formulated to resist attack
from a variety of chemicals such as acids, bases, solvents,
fuels, and many others. They have very low curing shrink-
Working life, age and flammability and can be formulated to cure
Visocsity (gel time) Health hazard Flash point
under damp conditions, including underwater. This versa-
100-400 10-60 min.* Yes-l See Below 100 F tility results in the availability of many binders that
centipoise (100- Section 8.3.5 (38 C)# represent a wide variety of properties suitable for bridge
400 x 10m3 Pa l (AASHTO flammable
and parking garage deck overlays.
S T 237)
2393) 2.3.2 Epoxy properties
2.3.2.1 Fire resistance-After the incorporation of
* Working life can be easily adjusted to almost any range by varying the epoxy polymer binders with aggregate, the resulting PC
amount of initiator and promoter. The end of working life is marked by
the beginning of the gel state, which may occur rapidly. In most situations, falls within accepted fire ratings. If required, fire re-
however, the reaction may not advance to the cross-linking state unless the sistance can be increased by incorporating special addi-
curing temperature remains over 50 F (10 C). Therefore as a general rule, tives with the binder and/or aggregates.
polyester should not be used at application temperatures below 50 F
(10 C), unless recommended by the manufacturer. 2.3.2.2 Chemical resistance-epoxy binders
t Follow the manufacturers safety instructions. are resistant to water, deicing chemicals, dilute acids, gas-
$ Polyester resins with flash points over 100 F (38 C) can be obtained oline, and other petroleum products.
but they are not commonly used in PC overlays.
2.3.2.3 Weathering-PC overlays based on properly
formulated epoxy binders show good resistance to wea-
thering (Better Roads 1986).
 POLYMER CONCRETE OVERLAYS 5

2.3.3 Primers--Many currently used application meth- Table 2.5.2(a)--Typical uncured properties of metha-
ods do not require the use of a primer. Where required crylate binders for PC overlays
to achieve improved bond and watertightness, primers
can be used.

I
2.4-Polyesters Monomers l-50 centi- Yes? &low 100 F
2.4.1 Description-Polyester binders used for the poise (l-50 x (38 C)
10m3 Pa l s) Flammable
preparation of PC are two-component systems, one con-
taining the polyester resin and the second containing the Polymer/ 250-1700 20-40 min* See Below 100 F
hardener or initiator, which is usually an organic per- monomer centipoise Section (38 C)
oxide. The properties of the polyester binder primarily solutions (250-1700 8.3.5 Flammable
10e3 Pa l s)
depend upon the chemical composition of the polyester I I I I

resin component and are much less influenced by the sel- * Working life can easily be maintained from application temperatures of
ection of the promoter/initiator system, the primary con- -20 to 100 F by varying the promoter and/or initiator, however, the manu-
facturer should be consulted before any such adjustments are made.
tribution of which is to control the rate of cure. t Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
The peroxides, used as initiators, gradually lose their
reactivity at elevated temperatures (over 90 F or 32 C) Table 2.5.2(b)-Typical physical properties of cured
(Lucido1 Penwalt). Inert liquids or fillers are incorpor- methacrylate binders for PC overlays
ated by the manufacturer to minimize the explosion
hazard. Both polyester resin and initiator components Property 1 Value, U.S. 1 Value, SI 1 Test method
should be stored in cool protected areas.
Bond strength* 1 IOOO-zooo psi I 7-14 ma I ASTM C 882
2.4.2 Polyester properties
2.4.2.1 Fire resistance-polyester, being organic in
nature, can burn. Incorporation of aggregate and other
additives increases the fire resistance of PC.
2.4.2.2 Chemical resistance-Cured polyester Tensile- 500-1200psi 3-8 MPa ASTM D 638

I I
binders are resistant to water, deicing chemicals, dilute
Tensile 100-200 percent 100-200 percent ASTM D 638
acids, gasoline, and other petroleum products. Some elongation
polyester resins may not be resistant to alkaline sub- I
strates.
2.4.2.3 Weathering-Experience indicates that poly-
Modulus of
elasticity
I Max_lxld
psi I Max.7~102
GPa
I ASTM D 638

ester resins have good freezing-thawing and weather re-

sistance.
2.4.2.4 Primers--Priming is always necessary when
Curing
shrinkage

*See Section 2.5.2.4

I l-2 percent
I 1-2 percent
I DuPont
(Appendix)

premixed polyester systems are used to establish intimate

contact with the substrate. Special primers improve the
performance of all polyester overlays. The following types PCs based on methacrylate resins can be prepared
of primers can be used, but the manufacturer of the poly- using two basic premix methods: a) slurry, or b) mortar.
ester should be consulted before selection is made. Although both are classified as MMA systems, they are
Polyester resins-If recommended by the manufacturer, considerably different in their formulation, application,
the same resins used for PC binders may be used with and performance properties.
premixed systems. As a slurry, high-viscosity resins are combined with
Epoxy--Epoxy primers are resistant to the styrene or graded aggregates, producing self-leveling, low-modulus
other monomers present in the polyester resin. Epoxy overlays of %- to %-in. (3.2- to 9.5-mm) thickness. These
primers can improve the bond of PC overlays to damp or materials possess the stress-relieving characteristics re-
alkaline substrates, although the application of PC over- quired to endure stresses created by temperature changes
lays to damp surfaces is not recommended. and substrate movement.
Methacrylates-These are solutions of acrylic polymers Where greater thicknesses and heavier loading capa-
in methyl methacrylate (MMA) or high molecular weight bilities are principal requirements, mortar systems are
methacrylate (HMWM) monomers. recommended. Mortars make use of low-viscosity mono-
mers to which precisely graded aggregates are added,
2.5-Methacrylates producing highly filled systems with significantly higher
2.5.1 Description-Methacrylate
e PC binders are nor- moduli than the slurry previously described These are
mally two-component systems, a promoted resin, and an suitable for screed applications of % to 1 in. (13 to 25
organic peroxide initiator. The resins are generally based mm) (Degussa 1990; Silikal 1987; and Transpo 1990).
on MMA monomer. Low viscosity grades are available as 2.5.2 Methacrylate properties-The properties that ap-
monomer blends, while those with high viscosities may be pear in the preceding tables reflect those of high-viscosity
solutions of polymers in monomer. resins used in slurry-type methods of application. Due to
548.5R-8 ACI COMMITTEE REPORT

the high filler contents found in mortars, the properties large amounts of aggregate. They are used primarily in
of the PC are more significant than those of the binder; their liquid form in multiple layers with larger aggregates
mortar properties can be found in Chapter 3. incorporated into the top layer. They are frequently used
2.5.2.1 Fire resistance-Methacrylate polymers can for overlaying parking garage decks and on bridge deck
bum, being organic in nature, but the incorporation of applications as waterproofing membranes between con-
proper aggregates and fire retardants can provide in- crete or steel decks and asphaltic overlays.
creased fire resistance. 2.6.3 Polyurethane properties
2.5.3.3 Chemicalresistance-Methacrylate polymers 2.6.2.1 Fire resistance-Cured polyurethanes, being
are resistant to water, deicing chemicals, dilute acids, and organic, can bum. Incorporation of special additives
alkalines. Solvent resistance is limited (Degussa 1990; Sil- helps them meet accepted fire codes. In case of fire, spe-
ikal 1987; and Transpo 1990). cial caution must be exercised because poisonous cyanide
2.5.2.3 Weathering-Methacrylate polymers are fumes may be generated.
highly UV light-resistant, and withstand environmental 2.6.2.2 Chemical resistance-Cured polyurethanes
exposure and weather (Redfoot 1985). are resistant to water, salt solutions, and a wide variety
2.5.3 Primers--PCs based on methacrylates require a of acids, alkalis, and particularly to solvents and fuels,
penetrating primer of generally lower viscosity than the 2.6.2.3 Weathering-Weathering effects are not
binder resin prior to their application to achieve proper accurately known at the present time, but aliphatic iso-
bond. These primers may be based on MMA or HMWM cyanate-based resins will weather better than their aro-
that have the ability to penetrate hairline cracks. Meth- matic counterparts.
acrylates are generally sensitive to damp and wet condi- 2.6.2.4 Primers-Manufacturers recommendations
tions, and their use should be restricted to dry surfaces. for polyurethane PC overlays should be followed.

2.6-Polyurethanes CHAPTER 3-POLYMER CONCRETES

2.6.1 Description-Polyurethanes can be formulated as
one- or two-component systems. The polyurethanes used 3.1-General
as binders for polymer overlays are of the elastomeric PCs are made by combining monomeric or polymeric
type and, in their cured state, they have the character- binders with aggregates. The aggregates and binders can
istics of hard rubber. Polyurethane binders usually con- be premixed and spread with screeds, or the binders can
tain pigments and fillers and are seldom combined with be applied to the surface and the aggregate broadcast
onto the liquid binder. PCs used for overlays should nor-
Table 2.6.2(a)--Typical uncured properties of poly- mally have a low modulus of elasticity to withstand the
urethane binders for PC overlays stresses created by temperature changes. For a full
Working life, description of PC binders see Chapter 2.
Viscosity gel time Health hazard Flash point Since the addition of aggregates to the particular poly-
mer system defines the resulting mix as a PC or mortar,
1000-8000 Yest
centipoise 15-60 min* (See Section Over 400 F
a brief description of the most commonly used PC aggre-
(1000-8000 x 8.3.5) (204 C) non- gates follows.
lC3 Pa s)l
(AASHTO flammable
(mD T237) 3.2-Aggregates
2393)
A variety of aggregates such as quartz, silica sand,
*One-component moisture-cured polyurethanea have very long working basalt, or aluminum oxide may be used in PC overlays. In
times in the absence of moisture.
t Follow the manufacturers safety instructions.
general, aggregates should be hard, dense, durable, dry,
clean, and resistant to polishing and crushing.
Table 2.6.2(b)--Typical physical properties of cured In applications where aggregate particles are to be
polyurethane binders for PC overlays broadcast on the surface of a PC overlay to produce
high-degree skid resistance, angular aggregate particles
Property Value, U.S. Value, SI Test method with a Mohs hardness of 7 to 9 should be used.
Bond strength* - - - 3.3.1 Fine fillers-Some PC systems are supplied as
two-component mortars, the second component contain-
Tensile strength 800-1500 psi 6-10 MPa ASTM D 412 ing well-graded silica aggregates and fine fillers such as
Tensile 1 5 0 - 6 0 0 percent 150-600 percent ASTM D 412
calcium carbonates. These filled systems are important to
elongation methactylate and polyester overlays since keeping the
overall aggregate content high will minimize the adverse
Modulus of 50-200 psi 0.3-1 MPa ASTM D 638
elasticity, tensile
effects of curing shrinkage.

Curing 0.02-0.08 0.02-0.08 DuPont 3.3-Properties of PC

shrinkage percent percent (Appendix) PCs exhibit many properties that are far superior to
*Insufficient data available. the substrate being repaired. Working life and cure times
 POLYMER CONCRETE OVERLAYS 548.5R-9

for some PCs are adjustable to suit needs at different effect of these stresses, particularly at very low tem-
application temperatures. A wider range of mechanical peratures, may cause debonding due to 1) adhesive fail-
properties is available depending on both the binder sel- ure at the interface or 2) shear failure in either the PC
ection and the aggregate loading. Bond strength to con- or the substrate. The failure mode is dependent on com-
crete is good, often exceeding the tensile strength of patibility of the substrate and the overlay. By incor-
concrete. Wear and chemical resistance are excellent. porating inorganic aggregates into PC overlays, it is
An important factor when considering PC overlay mater- possible to lower the coefficient of thermal expansion of
ials is their thermal compatibility with the substrate. the PC to two to four times that of concrete or steel.
Polymers, being organic in nature, have coefficients of Attempting to decrease the coefficient of thermal ex-
thermal expansion several times higher than those of in- pansion of the PC by increasing the aggregate loading
organic materials such as concrete or steel. Therefore, may further compensate for the difference, but this is at
when a PC overlay is subjected to temperature changes, the expense of reduced impermeability and flexiiility of
it undergoes greater volumetric changes than the sub- the overlay (Peschke 1981).
strate, creating stresses at the bond line. The cumulative
Table 3.3(c)-Typical properties of methacrylate polymer
Table 3.3(a)--Typical properties of epoxy polymer con- concrete
crete
Property Value, U.S. Value, SI Test method Property Value, U.S. Value, SI Test method

Working life, 30-60 min 30-60 min AASHTO Working life, 20-40 min 20-40-min AASHTO
gel time T237 gel time T 237

Cure time 3 hr @ 70 F 3 hr-@-21 Not available Cure time l-3 hr l-3 hr Not available

Bond strength 1500 psi 10 MPa ASTM C 882 Bond strength 1000-2000 psi 7-14 MPa ASTM C 882

Compressive 5000 psi 33 MPa ASTM C 579 Compressive 2000-9000 psi 14-62 MPa ASTM C 579
strength strength

Flexural 2000 psi 14 MPa ASTM C 580 Flexural 1300-3000 psi 9-21 MPa ASTM C 580
strength strength

Modulus of 0.9-1.5 x 10 5 0.6-1.0 x l dASTM C 579 Modulus of 0.05-1.0 x ld 0.34-6.9 x ld ASTM C 579
elasticity, psi MPa elasticity, psi MPa
compressive compressive

Thermal 10 cycles 10 cycles ASTM C 884 Thermal Not available Not available ASTM C 884
compatibility* compatibility*

Overlay materials used in regions where temperature ranges exceed Overlay materials used in regions where temperature ranges exceed
those specified in ASTM C 884 should he tested at temperatures that those specified in ASTM C 884 should be tested at temperatures that
reflect those ranges. reflect those ranges.

Table 3.3(b)-Typical properties of polyester polymer Table 3.3(d)--Typical properties of polyurethane poly-
concrete mer concrete

Property Value, U.S. Value, SI Test method

Working life, 10-60 min 10-60 min AASHTO

gel time T237

Cure time, l-5 hr l-5 hr Not available

initial

Bond strength 1500 psi 10 MPa ASTM C 882

Compressive 4000 psi 28 MPa ASTM C 579

strength

Flexural 2000 psi 14 MPa ASTM C 580

strength

Modulus of 0.9-1.5 x ld 0.6-1.0 x ld ASTM C 579

elasticity, tensile psi MPa

Thermal Not available Not available ASTM C 884

compatibility*

*Overlay materials used in regions where temperature ranges exceed *Overlaymaterials used in regions where temperature ranges exceed
those specified in ASTM C 884 should be tested at temperatures that those specified in ASTM C 884 should be tested at temperatures that
reflect those ranges. reflect those ranges
548.5R-10 ACI COMMITTEE REPORT

Based on the factors previously described, Tables ison with Schmidt impact hammer readings. The impact
3.3(a), 3.3(b), 3.3(c), and 3.3(d) are presented to dis- hammer can then be used to locate isolated weak areas
tinguish the various types of PC overlay materials from in the deck.
each other. The reader is encouraged to consult PC over- The deck should also be checked for delamination at
lay manufacturers for specific information regarding the top reinforcing steel mat level. This is most easily
individual products. done by chain dragging or hammer sounding to locate
When premixed systems are used, especially with poly- hollow-sounding areas. Particular attention should be
esters, methacrylates and polyurethanes, use of primers paid to cracks in the deck that are allowing salt and
may be necessary. water to access the reinforcing steel or that have been
For a discussion of appropriate primers for the dif- created by the expansion of corroding reinforcing steel.
ferent types of PCs, see Chapter 2. Copper sulfate electrode tests (ASTM C 876) may be
conducted to locate areas of active reinforcing steel
corrosion that will eventually result in delaminated
CHAPTER 4-SURFACE PREPARATION concrete. Corroded reinforcing steel must be exposed for
sandblast cleaning. Since overlays are passive and pre-
4.1-General ventive in nature, all delaminated and deteriorated areas
The purpose of surface preparation is to improve must be repaired prior to overlay placement.
bonding between the PC overlay and the substrate. Since The age of the concrete surface should also be con-
these materials have very different coefficients of thermal sidered. Newly cast decks should be cured a minimum of
expansion and permeability, surface preparation is a most 28 days to allow the moisture content of the concrete to
important factor in achieving proper bond. drop to a level that will prevent excessive moisture vapor
Polymer overlays should be applied only to clean, dry, pressure. Old decks should also be dry before application
physically sound substrates. Proper surface preparation of the PC overlay.
increases surface roughness and the subsequent mechan- While it is an accepted practice to assume that con-
ical bond between the overlay and the concrete substrate. taminants will be removed before overlay placement,
In addition to mechanical bond, there may also be a determining acceptably sound concrete requires some
chemical bond, depending on the type of polymer. judgment. Concrete that is high in porosity, low in
The manufacturers of PC overlay materials provide strength, or that is delaminated within the mass can
literature on recommended procedures for proper appli- create serious problems. When low strength or deep
cation of the product. For surface preparation, these delamination is suspected, coring may be the best method
instructions typically state that all bond surfaces are to be of evaluation, providing both a visual inspection and a
free of loose and unsound materials as well as contam- sample for subsequent testing.
inants and bond breakers such as oils, grease, paints, Proper surface evaluation, therefore, requires trained
sealers, curing compounds, water, waxes, dust, solvents, personnel familiar with concrete, contaminants, methods
and laitance. No overlay site will be free of all of these of preparation, and PC materials to determine how best
without surface preparation. Owners, specifying agencies, to prepare the concrete substrate.
and contractors need to be aware of all future exposure 4.2.2 Substrate repairs--Surface preparation for over-
conditions that could lead to failure of the system as well lays frequently includes the repair of defects such as
as the consequences of improper surface preparation. honeycombed areas, small and large holes, ruts, sharp
Overlay surfaces of parking structures and bridges protrusions, broken edges, and cracks. Sounding around
may be exposed to abrasion, rapid temperature changes, the defect is important to determine whether there is fur-
ultraviolet radiation, salt, moisture, acid rain, oil, heavy ther deterioration. Damaged sections should be removed
wheel loads, deicing salts, tracked-on abrasives such as with tools that will not further damage adjacent areas,
rocks, snowplow blades, reflective cracks from the sub- including reinforcing steel. Methods of removal may in-
strate, vapor pressure from the substrate, temperature- clude chipping, needle gunning, bush hammering, and
induced shear stresses due to different coefficients of wire brushing.
thermal expansion, live load shear stresses caused by 4.2.2.1 Crack repair-Careful attention should be
turning, braking, or accelerating vehicles, and impact given to the repair of cracks in the concrete substrate.
stresses caused by roughness in the riding surface. The ACI 224R is an excellent reference on the causes of
ability to survive these conditions is highly dependent on cracks and provides a summary of many repair methods.
the sound bond of the overlay to the substrate. It is important to prevent reflective cracking in the poly-
mer concrete overlay. The cause of movement in bridge
4.2-Concrete and parking garage decks should be prevented if possible,
4.2.1 Preliminary surface evaluation-This first re- or the movement should be accommodated by the over-
quirement for the concrete deck is that it be structurally lay.
sound and strong enough to withstand temperature-cre- 4.2.2.2 Patching-Deteriorated concrete should be
ated shear stresses below the bond line. Cores may be removed and the areas patched prior to surface prepara-
extracted for compressive strength testing and compar- tion. Selection of patching materials is governed by the
 POLYMER CONCRETE OVERLAYS

depth and volume of the areas to be repaired. Large

deep areas are more economically repaired with portland
cement concrete, which is compatible with the deck con-
crete being repaired. These repairs may require 21 to 28
days of curing prior to overlay placement, to allow the
patching concrete to hydrate and excess water to evapor-
ate. If the repairs are overlaid too soon, the overlay may
lose bond over the repaired area. Repairs that are less
than 1 in. thick may be repaired with polymer concrete
if desired. This will allow placement of the overlay once
the repair has cured. Potholes and large defects should
be patched prior to surface preparation.
Thin layered patches often debond from the substrate
due to moisture loss by absorption and evaporation of
water from the patch. Patches deeper than 1/2 in. (13 mm)
should generally be saw cut around the perimeter. This
has been shown to greatly extend the service life of the Fig. 4.2.3.1-Typical shotblasting preparation equipment for
patch. Patches less than 1/2 in. (13 mm) thick are usually PC overlay
made with a polymer mortar that is thermally compatible
with both the substrate and overlay. The polymer mortar on-site personnel, and strict local pollution standards may
should usually be mixed with the maximum possible have to be met. Also, disposal of all waste materials must
amount of aggregate that can be fully coated with resin, conform to local regulations.
usually three to five parts of aggregate to one part of 4.2.3.1 Shotblasting-Steel or grit shotblasting is an
resin by volume. Too much aggregate results in a porous abrasive method of cleaning horizontal surfaces which in-
patch, while too little aggregate causes problems of in- corporates a vacuum pickup, and thereby reduces dust. It
compatibility with the substrate. After the patch is cor- has replaced sandblasting on most overlay projects where
rectly placed and leveled, an extra layer of sand should shotblast equipment is available (Fig. 4.2.3.1). Two passes
be placed on top to create a good bond surface for the of the blasting machine are normally required to remove
overlay. Once the patch is cured, the loose sand is sufficient quantities of laitance and contamination.
removed. Measurements have shown that removal of 1//2 lb/ft2 (2.5
Magnesium phosphate patching materials require 30 kg/m2) of concrete exposes enough of the large aggre-
days of curing prior to being overlaid. These materials gates to produce a suitable surface profile. Production
generate gasses during curing that should be allowed to rates of up to 1500 ft2/hr (140 m2/hr) are normal.
escape prior to sealing, to prevent later deterioration of 4.2.3.2 Sand/gritblasting-Sand or gritblasting is one
the patch below the overlay. of the most economical and efficient methods of remov-
4.2.2.3 Roughness-PC overlays should not be ing rigid contaminants from substrates, but difficulty in
placed on overly rough surfaces, causing premature wear removing flexible coatings is a limitation. Wetblasting
and failure on the high spots due to impact stresses. Thin applications are labor-intensive regarding final cleanup;
layers of liquid polymer cannot be expected to correct residual moisture and sand remaining on the substrate
deficiencies in roughness. Instead, surface roughness will prevent proper adhesion of the overlay.
must be corrected prior to placement of PC. 4.2.3.3 Hydroblasting-This method may be suitable
All surface patching and repair must be properly for parking structures in certain situations. Special care
screeded and hand finished to minimize roughness. The must be exercised to be sure that hydroblasting, which
most practical way of evaluating roughness is with a uses nozzle pressure above 10,000 psi (70 MPa), removes
straightedge. enough mortar at the surface to provide adequate rough-
For further information on evaluation, patching, and ness for best bonding. Nozzle pressures less than 7000 psi
repair of concrete beyond the scope of this guide, the (48 MPa) are generally called hydrocleaning and may be
reader is referred to ACI 546.1R and ACI 548.1R. inadequate to sufficiently prepare the substrate. When
4.2.3 Surface preparation methods-The polymer man- high-pressure hydroblasting is used, the wet surface must
ufacturer should generally be consulted before deciding be dried sufficiently to minimize potential vapor pressure
on the best type of surface preparation. However, the below the PC overlay. The time required for sufficient
selection of proper surface preparation techniques often drying will depend on temperature and air humidity but
depends less upon the type of PC overlay than upon the could require a week prior to the overlay placement. Dis-
economical and environmental considerations. Many U.S. posal of wastewater is a problem that must be consid-
cities have placed restrictive regulations on sandblasting ered. For these reasons, hydroblasting is not normally
due to health and environmental problems. Since some used.
methods are prone to filling the air with respirable sili- 4.2.3.4 Scabbling impact took-One mechanical
cates, respirators or filter-masks may be required for all method includes the use of scabblers to chip away the
548.5R-12 ACI COMMITTEE REPORT

surface by pulverizing it with vertical hammer blows. 4.4-Evaluation of surface preparation

However, the dust generated by this method can cause The amount of substrate preparation needed for a PC
environmental and equipment problems, and the noise is wearing surface will vary from site to site, due to dif-
extremely harsh. Another factor that cannot be con- ferent surface conditions as well as for different polymer
trolled is the vertical fracturing of the concrete, which resins. This may create problems between the owner and
leads to crack development. This method is only used to the contractor if the contractor has not correctly assessed
remove deep contamination, but one should be aware the amount of work required to prepare the surface or if
that invisible damage to the substrate may result from its his interpretation differs from the owners or inspectors.
use. Field tests measuring tensile bond strength (ACI 503R)
4.2.3.5 Scarifiers-Another common mechanical may be used to determine the amount of work needed.
method is the scarifier or cold mill. It works by rotation
of a tungsten carbide drum or series of toothed wheels
which chip and scratch the substrate to a coarse but uni-
formly textured surface. The scarifier is more controllable CHAPTER 5-APPLICATION OF PC OVERLAYS
than scabblers because of the variety of wheels available.
The problems with this method are the same as for the 5.1-General
scabblers, although scarifiers are dustier and noisier. PC overlay placements generally consist of three steps
that include preparing the substrate surface, placing the
4.3-Steel resin and aggregate, and curing the PC.
The mill scale on orthotropic steel bridge decks has Surface preparation is necessary to achieve good
been found to be detrimental to the adhesion of polymer bonding and best performance for any overlay. Any pre-
concrete overlays. Mill scale forms as a discontinuous parations should insure that the substrate is clean, sound,
layer and is subjected to electrolytic attack and eventual and as dry as possible. (See Chapter 4.)
rust, which destroys the adhesion of the scale. Other con- Once surface preparation is completed, application
taminants can also accelerate the deterioration of steel techniques will be determinant in obtaining the maximum
bridge decks. performance from any PC overlay. Two methods of plac-
Surface preparation methods have been well defined ing the PC are commonly employed. The first one is the
by organizations such as SSPC, NACE, and AWWA. multiple layer method. This type of PC overlay is com-
ASTM and SSPC have developed pictorial standards, monly known as the broom-and-seed method, because
which show the abrasive blast standards for new mill it is constructed by building up alternate layers of resin
scale-bearing steel, rusted steel, and visibly pitted and aggregate; brooming the resin on the surface and
corroded steel. The surface preparation standards are then seeding it with sand. The second PC overlay type,
similar to those for concrete and use the same methods known as the premixed placement method, is constructed
of abrasive blasting. Basically, the steel is blasted to a by placing a single application of the premixed resin and
white metal condition. After cleaning the steel substrate, aggregate matrix onto a cleaned concrete substrate.
a thorough evaluation should be made, including checks This chapter details these methods of application for
for cracks or section loss due to corrosion. PC overlays.

Fig. 5.2(a)-Application of binder to

o substrate typical Fig. 5.2(b)-Broadcasting aggregate into wet binder during
multiple layer overlay on bridge typical multiple layer overlay on bridge
 POLYMER CONCRETE OVERLAYS 548.5R-13

5.2-Multiple-layer overlay
The multiple-layer method is especially suited for
higher viscosity binder systems and when thin overlays
are desired [Fig. 5.2 (a) and 5.2 (b)]. These overlays are
easy to install, requiring little, if any, mechanized equip-
ment and less skilled labor. For these reasons, installa-
tion costs in some instances may be lower than premixed
overlay installations.
There are several drawbacks to using multiple-layer
overlays. As the name implies, more than one application
is required. Therefore, in addition to being more depen-
dent on the weather, traffic safety control must be main-
tained for longer periods of time as well [Fig. 5.2 (c) and
Fig. 5.2(c)-Automated resin application for large-scale 5.2 (d)]. Sometimes the additional costs of traffic safety
multiple layer overlay projects control may override the possible savings in labor instal-
lation costs.
5.2.1 Applying the resin-The resin is first properly
proportioned and mixed well with its curing system and
is immediately applied to the substrate surface. Both the
ambient temperature and the temperature of the sub-
strate surface to which the material is applied are typi-
cally specified to be between 50 to 95 F (10 to 35 C),
although methacrylate systems can be readily adapted for
much wider temperature ranges when necessary.
The resin system is normally applied by either of two
methods. Most often the resin is simply poured onto the
concrete surface directly from buckets and spread with
brooms, rollers, or squeegees. To control the quantity of
resin per unit area, the deck is marked into sections that
are to be covered with a unit quantity of resin. This pro-
vides the workers with a visual guide as they are spread-
ing the resin across the surface.
The resin system can also be applied using a pressur-
ized spray distribution system. A resin-measuring device
Fig. 5.2(d)-Automated aggregate seeding used for large- is built into the spray distribution system so that the
scale multiple layer overlay quantity of resin per area of concrete surface can be con-

Table 5.2.1--Typical application rates of resin and aggregates for multiple-layer PC overlays

Resin application rate Aggregate application rate Aggregate size

Resin type Layer ft2/gal m2/liter lb/ft2 kg/m2 U.S. sieve no. Metric standard

1 100 2.5 0.1-1.0 0.5-4.9 6-16 3.35-1.00 m m

Methacrylates 2-4 25-100 0.6-2.5 0.5-2.0 2.5-9.8 6-50 3.35-300 pm
Sealer coat 50-100 1.2-2.5 0 0 0 0

Epoxies 1 30-40 0.7-1.0 0.9-1.1 4.4-5.4 6-16 3.35-1.00 m m

2-4 20-30 0.5-0.7 1.3-1.6 6.4-7.8 6-16 3.35-1.00 mm

Polyester-styrene 1 40-50 1.0-1.2 0.8-l.0 3.9-4.9 12-30 1.70-600 pm

2-4 30-40 0.7-l.0 2.0-3.0 6.4-9.8 6-30 3.35-600 pm
548.5%14 ACI COMMIITEE REPORT

permeability in the overlay.

The equipment required for mixing and placement of
these types of overlays requires a more skilled labor
force. Therefore, labor costs will be higher than those for
multiple layer overlays. However, total installation costs
may not vary much from multiple layer overlays, because
the single application required will minimize traffic con-
trol costs.
5.3.1 Mixing-Several mixing procedures can be used
for premixed PC overlay installations. Generally, the type
of resin used for the PC binder and the size of the over-
lay placement dictate the preferred mixing procedure.
5.3.1.1 Hand-mixing-Hand-mixing of the resin and
aggregate is the simplest and least expensive mixing
method. This method is used for most two-component
methacrylate mortar systems. These systems normally
come prepackaged and preproportioned; therefore, field
batching operations are generally eliminated. Most man-
ufacturers of prepackaged two-component methacrylate
Fig. 5.3-Premixed PC overlay epoxy mortar for steel grid mortar systems recommend that the mixing be done in
decking in lift-span bridge polyethylene bags supplied with the materials. This is
acceptable for small jobs, but for large decks it can be a
trolled. slow and tedious mixing method. In most cases with the
The resin and aggregate application rates are de- hand-mixing procedure, hand-screeding and/or troweling
pendent upon the type of resin and aggregate size for the is used to obtain the desired overlay thickness.
installation of multiple-layer PC overlays. Table 5.2.1 5.3.1.2 Machine batch-mixing-Machine mixing of
gives the recommended application rates; however, these the resin and aggregate systems in small concrete or mor-
are to be considered as general guides. Some specifying tar mixers has been used for many PC overlays. It is im-
agencies and manufacturers application rates may vary portant to maintain the proper ratio of resin to curing
from those given in the table. agents as well as resin to aggregate for each batch.
5.2.2 Applying the aggregate-Immediately after the Otherwise, finishing of the overlay becomes extremely
resin has been applied, the specified aggregate is broad- difficult, and cured properties may not match specifi-
cast to a slight excess over the resin. This assures cations. In all batch-mixing operations, it is necessary to
embedment of sufficient aggregate into the resin. The have good quality control procedures to minimize varia-
preferred method of application is one that utilizes a tions between batches. This machine batch-mixing meth-
mechanical spreader that will uniformly broadcast the od is typically used for jobs where the area of overlay is
aggregate in a manner that will not mark or rut the over- too small to justify the high cost of continuous mixers.
lay. The spreader should broadcast the aggregate from as 5.3.1.3 Continuous mixing-This method is a higher
close to the surface as possible to avoid displacement of technology approach that facilitates uniform batching and
the resin. placement on large overlay jobs. Two types of machinery
5.2.3 Curing-Depending on the deck and ambient have been used for the continuous mixing of polymer
temperatures and on the type of polymer binder, the cure concrete for overlay applications.
time may vary from ?4 to 8 hr. Any excess aggregate that One of the continuous mixers is a modified mobile
is not embedded in the cured resin is then removed, and concrete batching plant [Fig. 5.3.1.3 (a)]. In this machine,
the overlay application is repeated until the proper num- large hoppers feed aggregates onto a conveyor belt that
ber of layers have been applied and the specified depth carries the aggregates into an auger trough where the ag-
is met. Depending on the type of resin and aggregate gregate is blended with the resin system and then dis-
size, a typical multiple-layer overlay might consist of charged onto the pavement or into a paving machine.
three to five applications. The resin is contained in the original water tanks. A
catalyst pump must be installed to inject the catalyst into
5.3-Premixed polymer concrete application the resin stream before it is mixed with the aggregate in
Premixed PC overlays achieve the required thickness the auger trough. The length of the mixing time is regu-
in a single application. They can be made using metha- lated by adjusting the angle of the mixing trough. To
crylate, epoxy, or polyester binders (Fig. 5.3). clean the mixing trough, large quantities of solvent may
Placement of these overlays requires the use of mech- be required. This type of equipment has been used with
anical mixers and placement equipment. The use of vib- polyester and methacrylate PCs.
rating screeds to place the premixed PC overlay gives Another type of machinery for the continuous prepar-
better compaction and results in higher density and lower ation of polymer concrete overlay materials can be pro-
 POLYMER CONCRETE OVERLAYS 548.5R-15

5.3.2.1 Hand-screeding/troweling-On small jobs, PC

overlays are often placed using aluminum or magnesium
box beams with vibrators attached. This type of vibratory
screed works well for easily flowable PC mixes. First,
guide rails are used to establish the thickness of the
overlay, and then laborers push and pull the screed back
and forth in a transverse sawing motion as they advance
the screed longitudinally. Difficulties in maintaining
uniform screed rates often cause uneven surfaces. This
hand-screeding is not recommended for overlays wider
than 8 ft (2.4 m). Gage rakes utilizing pins that deter-
mine application thickness have also been used for self-
leveling premix overlays.
5.3.2.2 Vibrating screeds--Manually advanced-
There are several pneumatic vibrating screeds that can be
used with various PC mixes for overlay installations.
Fig. 5.3.1.3(a)-Automated mixing and continuous applica- These screeds can span across a full lane width without
tion
n paving train for large-scab premixed PC overlay problems when the deck is uniform. Some screeds can be
adjusted to give a uniformly thick overlay, even though
the concrete substrate may be slightly contoured. Exper-
ience indicates that placing premixed overlays in half-lane
widths seems to eliminate most of the problems associa-
ted with nonuniform concrete surfaces, even with the
most simplified vibrating screeds used. Screed rails or
guides are necessary to control the thickness of the over-
lay being placed. In most cases, the vibratory screed is
manually advanced using a winch. These screeds work
well when the leading edges are kept clean. Once the PC
material gels on the leading edges, the overlay surface
tears and is no longer uniform in thickness. The leading
edges of vibratory screeds used for PC overlays should be
made of UHMW (ultra-high molecular weight) polyethy-
lene or Teflon. The entire screed should be Teflon coated
so that it is easier to keep clean. Advancing the screed at
a slow and constant rate is essential to obtaining a
uniform surface across the PC overlay.
Fig. 5.3.1.3(b)-Typical paving train for continuous system 5.3.2.3 Self-propelled finishing machines and screeds
premixed PC overlay -Self-propelled finishing machines and vibrating screeds
are used to place large PC overlays on large bridge decks
perly described as continuous metering, mixing, and and/or roadway surfaces. The self-propelled finishing
dispensing machines. The basic machine consists of a machines can be adjusted to place overlays evenly across
hopper through which the filler is metered and dispensed an entire lane. Some of the machines have an auger
to the mixing auger. The resin and curing agent are strike-off to provide a uniform thickness of PC in front
metered and also dispensed to the mixing auger via var- of an oscillating screed. The oscillating screed consoli-
iable speed (output) pumps. The mixing auger, a contin- dates the PC by vibration. The speed of the finishing
uous screw, transports and mixes the metered fillers and machine is variable so that as the PC is placed before the
resin to a homogenous consistency and delivers a steady leveling auger, the finisher can maintain a continuous
stream of reactive polymer concrete to the overlay place- pace without stopping. All surfaces that contact the PC
ment area. Provisions are also provided to clean the mix- should be Teflon coated or machined from UHMW poly-
ing auger with a minimum amount of solvent as required. ethylene wherever possible.
These machines have been used for epoxy, methacrylate, 5.3.2.4 Surface texture-Nonskid surface textures
and polyester resins [Fig. 5.3.1.3 (b)]. are obtained by broom finishing, tining, or by broad-
5.3.2 Placing and finishing equipment--The type of casting a coarse aggregate on the PC surface before it
placement and finishing equipment employed is generally has gelled.
dependent on the type of resin used and on the size of Broom finishing is the result of dragging the bristles
the overlay to be placed. This section describes several of a coarse street broom over the uncured overlay to pro-
methods of application and equipment that are used to vide a skid-resistant surface. The texturing must be com-
install PC overlays. pleted before the PC begins to gel or the surface will
548.5R-16 ACI COMMITTEE REPORT

tear, leaving an extremely uneven profile. determined by using ASTM C 566 method and should
Surface tining has been used on overlay systems with not be higher than 0.5 percent.
excellent results. This method employs a rake-like beam
fitted with spring metal teeth that leave uniform grooves 6.3-Other considerations
when dragged across the uncured overlay. Since PC over- Delaminations--When delamination, i.e., debondingof
lays are generally less than % in. (19 mm) thick, it is the overlay, is suspected, various methods of sounding
necessary to keep the tined grooves less than % in. are employed. Areas over a debonded overlay generally
(6 mm) deep . Thinner overlays require shallower tining. produce a lower pitched, hollow sound, and the use of a
Surface seeding is employed in some cases, particularly Laps Delam-Tech apparatus (Silikal 1987), tapping the
with epoxy and some methacrylate or polyester PCs. The surface with a hammer, or dragging a chain over it are
overlays are put down as a slurry premix design which is common practices.
resin-rich. Once the matrix is compacted and screeded, Ride quality, profiling and drainage-The quality of
the excess resin rises to the top. At this point, a coarse the deck performance depends, to a large extent, on the
grit aggregate [approximately % in. (3 mm) in diameter, ride quality, profile, and drainage. Although these pro-
U.S. Sieve No. 6-16 (1.00 to 3.35 mm)], is broadcast onto perties may be measured after placement, it is important
the excess resin. When the PC cures, the top layer of ag- to note that PC overlays are too thin to be expected to
gregate provides a durable skid-resistant surface. improve or degrade roughness profiles or drainage char-
5.3.2.5 Curing-Cure times for the overlay are depen- acteristics of any traffic surface. These considerations
dent upon the binder system, the depth of the overlay, should be discussed and the substrate improved well
the substrate and aggregate temperature, and the am- before the overlay is applied.
bient temperature. Overlays are normally placed when
temperatures are between 50 F (10 C) and 95 F (35 C).
At these temperatures, cure times can range from 30 min
to 12 hr. Some systems can be installed at temperatures CHAPTER 7-MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR
below freezing and still cure in less than 2 hr; however,
any ice in the pores of the substrate may act as a bond 7.1-General
breaker. Quality control checks should be done to assure It would be unwise to consider any repair foolproof.
proper cure of the PC before returning the overlay to Causes of the original substrate damage may have gone
traffic. undiscovered and eventually damage to the overlay due
to normal use and abuse is almost inevitable.
Although toughness and durability are two advantages
CHAPTER 6-EVALUATION PROCEDURES of PC overlays, eventually they, too, will need some at-
FOR QUALITY CONTROL AND tention. Although simply mixing up PC and patching the
LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE damaged area is relatively easy, understanding PC and
the nature of the need for repair will provide the user
6.1-Quality control needs with the necessary information to make effective, long-
After the proper materials and techniques are decided lasting repairs.
upon and specified, a program of monitoring materials This chapter addresses the sources, influences, prob-
both before and after application is required to assure lems, methodology, and equipment that should be consid-
quality control and the expected performance. The re- ered in the maintenance and repair of PC overlays.
sponsbility for operations and material control should
not be taken lightly, as inattention to details may result 7.2-Sources of maintenance needs
in costly problems. Table 6.1 lists recommended tests for Because there are so many PC binder systems and
different materials and performance properties. Specific matrixes in use and so many inexperienced applicators,
recommended values can be found in Chapters 2 and 3. consistent reliable information regarding real perfor-
mance is difficult, even for the experts, to ascertain.
6.2-Prequalification tests for polymer components Discrepancies in workmanship and application techniques
Samples may be taken at random and tested to insure often make it difficult to clearly distinguish normal-wear-
that the binders and aggregates meet the requirements of related from nonwear-related failure in an overlay. Be-
the specification. At a minimum, the binder should be cause of the importance of finding correctable causes of
tested for viscosity (ASTM D 2393) and gel time failure before repairing overlays, the following are pre-
(AASHTO T 237) for the conditions under which the sented for consideration.
materials will be used. When possible, the binder should 7.2.1 Wear-related problems-Some wear should be ex-
also be tested for tensile elongation and strength. The pected and designed into a useful life amortization sched-
grading and dryness of the aggregates should also be ule. At some point, wear will probably be significant
monitored. When in doubt, a sieve analysis (ASTM enough that maintenance will dictate replacement. The
C 136) will determine whether the aggregate meets the sources and effects of wear can be diverse and must be
specified grading. The aggregate moisture content can be evaluated for each type of damage to the overlay. Com-
 POLYMER CONCRETE OVERLAYS

Table 6.1-Typical test methods for polymer concrete overlays

Material Property Source of test method Common test name

Binder Viscosity ASTM D 2393 Viscosity of epoxies and related components

ASTM D 2849 Viscosity of urethanes and related comp-
nents
ASTM D 1824 Viscosity of plastisols and organosols by
Brookfield viscometer

Gel time ASTM D 2471 Gel time of reacting thermosetting resins

Tensile elongation ASTM D 638 Tensile properties of plastics
Tensile strength ASTM D 638 Tensile properties of plastics

Aggregate Grading ASTM C 136 Sieve analysis for fine and coarse aggregate
Moisture content ASTM C 566 Total moisture content of aggregate by
drying
Polymer concrete Compressive strength ASTM C 579 Compressive strengths for chemical-resistant
mortars and monolithic surfacings
Flexural strength ASTM C 78 Simple beam with thud-point loading
Flexural strength ASTM C 580 Flexural strength and modulus for chemical-
resistant mortars and monolithic surfacings
Simple beam with center-point loading
Shrinkage ASTM C 293 DuPont (see Appendix)
Ohama & Demura (see Appendix)

Overlay Bond strength, tension ACI 503R Field test for surface soundness and ad-
hesion
Bond strength, shear Guillotine (see Appendix)
Moisture content of sub- ASTM D 4263 Plastic sheet method
strate surface*
Resin content of overlay Burnout method (see Appendix)
Skid resistance ASTM E 501 Treaded tire skid test
ASTM E 524 Bald tire skid test
ASTM E 303 British pendulum test
Chloride permeability AASHTO T 277 Rapid chloride permeability
FHWA-RD-81/119 6-hr permeability test
ASTM C 876 Half-cell potentials field method
ASTM C 12022 Chloride permeability
Cracking ASTMD3633 Electrical resistivity method
Delaminations None Sounding: hammer, or chain (10-ft 3-m)
Ride quality straightedge
ASTM E 1274 Porfilo graph
ASTM E 1215 Mays meter
ASTM E 950 Rolling straightedge
* The concrete surface must be dry before PC overlays are applied to provide a bond. Wile surface moisture can easily be inspected visually, it is a com-
mon practice to wait a full day after a rain to iusure minimum moisture in surface pores of the substrate. Long soaking rains, poor drying weather conditions, and
excessively porous substrate concrete are factors requiring longer drying times prior
gooto
d overlay. The presence of moisture an be determined using ASTM D 4263,
which involves the securing of a polyethylene sheet to the concrete with tape and observing the condensation of water over a period of time (up to 4 hr).

mon causes are studded tires and tire chains, extreme volatiles even after they have cured. These volatiles may
shifts in ambient temperature, and poor-wearing aggre- consist of unreacted monomers, resins, diluents, or plasti-
gates in the overlay. Other things such as ultraviolet cizers which escape from the matrix over time. This may
radiation from the sun and traffic exhaust chemicals can cause shrinkage or brittleness, which then can result in
also cause degradation of some polymer binders. premature cracking and delaminations in the overlay.
7.2.1.1 Binder problem-The type of binder system, Unreacted or incompletely reacted binder is also fre-
its proper proportioning, mixing, and application are the quently the source of poor adhesion to aggregates and
most important links to overlay maintenance problems. the substrate.
PC can be stronger, more impact-resistant, elasto- Some shrinkage is inevitable in pure polymerization
meric, chemically resistant, or more abrasion-resistant processes, but chemical additives, fillers, and aggregates
when it is applied and cured properly. Problems occur, all help to reduce the shrinkage to acceptable levels.
however, when the wrong system is used or when appli- Some binder systems shrink more than others, and, if
cators or resin manufacturers are not careful. higher shrinkage systems cure into polymer-rich rigid
Some binder systems may still contain residual matrixes, they may experience serious premature delam-
548.5R-18 ACI COMMITTEE REPORT

inations. Some methacrylate and polyester systems seem ered, damage and latent problems can be extensive. Un-
to suffer from this more than the epoxies. less the contamination, its source, and its ensuing pro-
Thermal effects can greatly influence the performance gressive deterioration are eliminated, the PC overlay can
of PC overlays because of the significant differences in be spalled off with the bonded, damaged substrate.
the thermal expansion-contraction properties of the sub- 7.2.2 Overlay failure
strate and the polymer binder in the overlay. This pro- 7.2.2.1 Substrate caused-The primary cause of
perty alone may account for more delamination problems overlay failure is poor surface preparation. Other reasons
in otherwise properly applied PC overlays than all the for failure may include stresses developed from differen-
others. Particularly in rigid polyester and the rigid meth- tial movement of the substrate with respect to the over-
acrylate binder systems, every effort must be made to lay. Additional causes are given in the following para-
insure the leanest matrix that still maintains good bond graphs.
to the substrate and uniform integrity throughout the Cracks may be a source as well as a symptom of many
thickness of the overlay. Even flexiile systems are subject of the problems listed. Since cracked substrates are one
to contract, which pulls the cold (and the stiffer) binder of the reasons for the use of overlays, close examination
away from the edges of the cracks in the substrate. Then of the conditions following is required to determine the
these temporarily rigid systems, too, may crack and real underlying cause of the failure.
delaminate. Joints are necessary to allow lateral movements in the
Oxidation and other chemical changes in some binder pavement due to temperature changes, but joints should
systems may cause cracking or delamination long after not allow vertical movements of the pavement. Overlays
the placement of the PC overlay. should not be applied over joints. Overlays that cover
7.2.1.2 Aggregate problems-Wear symptoms clearly joints will usually crack, sometimes spalling or breaking
show the importance of the choice of aggregates in a PC off base slab joint edges in the process. Open joints that
overlay. It is well known that the rate of abrasion can be fill with incompressible materials will spall out as the
reduced significantly by the choice of proper aggregates. summer temperatures cause the concrete base slab to ex-
The suitability of aggregates used in PC overlays very pand.
closely follows the guidelines for any aggregate to be Flexibility in the substrate is a serious problem since
used in wearing surfaces. That is, the aggregates must be not only the overlay itself, but also the bond between the
dry, sound, strong, nonexpansive, nonfriable, and they base slab and the overlay, will be stressed every time the
must exhibit good abrasion (polishing) resistance. base flexes. Even if the overlay can withstand the first
7.2.1.3 Traffic-induced problems-Rutting is the flexing, over a period of time fatigue may cause delamin-
result of vehicles traveling in the same wheel paths until ations or extensive cracking. Flexibility in concrete decks
a rigid pavements surface is abrasively worn down, or a usually comes from working joints.
flexible pavements surface is actually compressed into a Freezing and thawing cycles can also cause water-filled
thinner section than the surrounding pavement. Either cracks to expand until they spall under the overlay, lifting
action results in the rutted tracks, which are poor riding it off with the broken-off substrate. Similarly, water trap-
surfaces and sources of pavement failures. Since the PC ped in delaminations and later frozen will expand, forcing
overlay itself is frequently less than 1/2 in. (13 mm), rut- the delamination further.
ting in PC overlays is at most marginal, and then only Chemical reactions with the overlay at the interface
where traffic has first worn out coarse surface aggregates sometimes occur when the binder cannot withstand the
and then worn down the resulting poorly fiied mortar. alkalinity of the particular cement or aggregates. Poly-
Loss of skid resistance is a proper concern for highway ester systems sometimes have this problem. A protective
maintenance crews everywhere. It is the result of any primer coating of the substrate prior to overlayment can
number of the wear problems previously mentioned. often prevent this reaction from occurring.
Studded tires are a necessary evil to many pavements 7.2.2.2 Overlay caused-Delamination may be
and bridges in areas that have heavy snowfalls or icing caused by the inability of the cured binder to withstand
conditions, particularly in mountainous regions. The studs the forces applied by the traffic or temperature changes.
impact the pavement surface whenever there is no ice or This inability may be inherent in the particular polymeric
snow covering it. Although PC overlays withstand studs binder itself, but frequently air bubbles, moisture, incom-
better than do PCC surfaces, the coarse aggregate is plete cure, poor consolidation, and incomplete wetting of
eventually broken out of the matrix, which is then finally the substrate surface by the resin are caused by improper
chipped away. mixing or placement by the applicators.
Contamination is the cause of many failures in port- Cracking overlays allow water to penetrate to the
land cement concrete, but some acids and strong bases interface and cause previously mentioned hydraulics or
may damage even PC overlays. Sources of harmful con- freeze-thaw problems or expansive PCC substrate prob-
taminants are some deicing solutions and airborne emis- lems. Some high-shrinkage systems seem to be more
sion pollutants in acid rain, but the primary contamina- prone to fatigue failure delaminations that start at edges
tion source for PC is traffic accident spills. Unfortunately, and gradually progress until large chunks of overlay ma-
by the time contamination-related deterioration is discov- terial spall or flake off.
 POLYMER CONCRETE OVERLAYS 548.5R-19

Crazing is seen as an extensive network of closely overlay. A good guideline to remember is to put the mat-
spaced, randomly oriented cracks particularly visible in rix down quickly, consolidate it, and level it with a vibra-
resin-rich overlays. Crazing which appears while the over- tory screed, and then leave it alone.
layment is still new is usually caused by exotherm tem- Interlayer adhesion problems occur in broom-and-seed
peratures that became too high during the curing. applications of PC almost exclusively because of applica-
Crazing which appears long after the overlay has been tion mistakes. Sometimes the source of the problem may
in service is usually attributable to ultraviolet degrada- be as simple as contamination that has occurred between
tion, oxidation, or poor weathering. Again, too much successive resin applications. The contamination may
pure resin was probably left at the surface for exposure have been brought in by environmental conditions, leak-
to the elements. A highly filled mortar allows very little ing equipment, trafficking between applications of succes-
of the cured resin to be exposed to the direct rays of the sive layers, incomplete removal of excess aggregates, and
sun. rain or dew from one day to the next. Other sources of
Large cracks in the overlay may be reflective cracking, interlayer adhesion problems include mixing an inade-
a phenomenon in which new cracks form in the overlay quate amount of curing agent into the resin, or nonuni-
directly over the old ones in the base slab. If the base form mixing of the resin and cure system.
slab is not deflecting and causing the cracks, the binder Wet aggregate is a guarantee of poor bond of the bin-
is either too weak in tension, too rigid, or else the matrix der to the aggregates as well as an inhibitor in many of
does not have enough resin in its design. the binder systems. Thus, ultimately, it is a source of
Edge cracking is seen wherever the overlay boundaries delaminations, cracking, and spalling.
have become too lean in binder or lack good finishing Priming is often recommended for binder systems that
detailing such as consolidation and grade control. may have wet-out-related problems with certain sub-
Spalling of the overlay alone is normally associated strates, or in mortar systems that may not be compatible
with delaminations and cracking. Rigid binders tend to with the alkalinity of the PCC substrate. Manufacturers
spall more than flexible ones. recommendations must be closely followed. Some pri-
7.2.3 Repair needs due to faulty workmanship and appli- mers are designed to be cured before covering them with
cation techniques- M a n y of the overlay-caused failures the overlay, and others are to be covered immediately
can be prevented by knowledgeable applicators if they while they still are tacky. Neglecting details here could
are attentive to details before and during the PC appli- result in major delaminations after the entire job is
cation. If they are not careful, the following problems can finished.
plague the overlay. For the contractor who learns from Skinning is a term that describes the loss of patches of
his mistakes, the symptoms can indicate where more at- material from the top surface of the overlay. In monolith-
tention is needed on future placements. ic applications, this is usually the result of over-finishing
Porosity is a common problem in many coatings, parti- or improper consolidation techniques that leave unseen
cularly in viscous ones that are highly filled. During the voids or cracks under the surface. In broom-and-seed ap-
mixing process, air is trapped into the viscous binder and plications, it is the result of poor interlayer adhesion.
matrix. Without good vibration, the air bubbles have a Inadequate compaction is a likely cause of delamina-
difficult time escaping the matrix before it gels and cures. tions and other overlayment failures. Sufficient vibration
Those bubbles that do make it to the surface burst and is necessary to minimize air bubbles, voids, and resin-rich
may leave small craters where the bubbles were. The areas.
bubbles trapped in the bottom of the overlay at the inter- Cure inhibition resulting in incomplete cure of the PC
face provide little adhesion to the substrate and are pos- overlay may be due to several factors. For improperly
sible initiation points of delamination when the overlay catalyzed systems placed in cold weather, polymerization
is stressed. Those bubbles that are trapped in the middle may eventually go to completion when ambient temper-
of the overlay matrix are weak points in the overlay, pro- atures increase, but many systems will never recover and
viding sites for cracking under stress, and they ultimately attain the full design properties expected from normal
may provide paths for water and waterborne contami- cure conditions. Uncured residual components may either
nants and for freeze-thaw, as described earlier. remain in the matrix or evaporate over time.
Tearing is a symptom of poor application technique in Entrapped air due to improper filler selection and
monolithic PC overlays. It typically occurs when overly mixing results in incomplete cure of methacrylate sys-
conscientious concrete finishers overwork the surface of tems. Excessive finishing can disturb the cure as well,
the PC overlay as they try to get a very smooth and con- resulting in tacky surfaces.
solidated finish like that found in concrete floors. In
trying to work the surface too fine, the finishers take so 7.3 Repair methods
much time that the binder polymerizes to a sticky viscous 7.3.1 Problem analysis and procedures-Maintenance
consistency. This material adheres to the trowel, which personnel should expect occasional damage to the PC
then stretches the surface, causing tears or even pulling overlay from various sources. An important advantage in
off large portions. Trying to screed a thin viscous overlay the use of a PC overlay is that it is easily repaired,
too quickly or without enough vibration may also tear the whenever the need arises. A listing of typical failures and
548.5R-20 ACI COMMlTTEE REPORT

their recommended repair methods is included in the fol- the substrate cleaned for a new overlay. Do not reoverlay
lowing paragraphs. until the cause of the bulk failure is determined and cor-
7.3.1.1 Substrate failure is frequently the reason for rected. As always, a small test patch may be a good safe-
overlay failures. If the overlay only covered the substrate guard to prevent recurrence of the same problem.
failure without any repair of the cause of the substrate Interlayer failure symptoms are widespread, light, sur-
failure, then temporary cosmetics is probably the best the face flaking or erosion. After close inspection, it may be
owners can attain. Covering up the problem is not the possible to determine to what extent the problem still
same thing as fixing it. exists under the remaining surface. The unbonded layers
Contamination of the substrate can be a real problem should be chipped away, and the lost surface areas
because once the pores of the PCC are fiied with PC-in- should be sandblasted and carefully retreated with the
compatible contaminants like chemicals, silicones, oils, or same method as that originally used.
even water, the PC probably will not bond well until the Surface failures usually refer to loss of the top surface
contaminant is removed. First the unbonded PC must be aggregates from the binder. It is upon these aggregates
removed, then the contaminant or the contaminated con- that surface friction is based, giving acceptable tough,
crete must be removed by sandblasting. For large repair nonwearing, skid-resistant textures. Once these are lost
areas, a trial PC repair may then be placed in a small test from the surface, the overlay may wear quickly and the
area so that the bond strength can be quickly evaluated surface may become dangerously slick when wet. A typi-
before proceeding with the rest of the repair (Chapter 6). cal cause of this is waiting too long after the resin
Deterioration in the form of badly cracked or broken coating is applied before the aggregate is spread and
substrates requires that the full extent of the damage be forced into the surface. Thus, the aggregate never gets
assessed before determining the next course of action. embedded deeply enough to be retained by the binder.
The substrate may be in bad enough condition that re- Also, surface inhibition may have left the top course too
placement may actually be the cheapest alternative. If soft when traffic was returned to the deck area or pave-
chloride, sulfate, or other contamination is the cause of ment. Waiting a little longer or testing a small area for
the deterioration, every effort must be made to clean out complete cure before exposing the overlay to traffic may
as much of the seriously affected concrete and to get prevent this from recurring.
back to solid strong concrete surfaces in the cracks and Fortunately, retexturing the surface usually requires
on the undersides of bridge decks and parking structures. only a light sandblasting, followed by an additional
For pavement, base failures should be repaired broom-and-seed application to provide the needed fric-
through injection or cutouts and grouting. Once the tion.
source of base failures are identified, the damaged sub- Joint failures and their causes have been described in
strate can be injected, repaired, or replaced. Often full- detail in previous sections. Once the cause of the joint
depth repairs must be made and cured before overlay- failure is determined (substrate, incompressibles in the
ments are placed. After proper surface preparation, the substrates joints, poor consolidation of matrix at joint
overlay can be repaired with the same type of PC. edge, poor cure, or an abrupt change of grade) and cor-
7.3.1.2 Primer failure as a cause of PC overlay rected, the joint failure is cleaned out, sandblasted, care-
failure can be an expensive experience. Delaminated fully reformed, and consolidated with the same PC as the
areas can be spot-repaired by chipping back to soundly rest of the overlay.
bonded PC, the applying a better primer to the cleaned Cracking is a generalized problem caused by many dif-
exposed substrate and reoverlaying the delaminated area. ferent factors such as: binder failures due to shrinkage or
This sounds easier than it probably is because poor bond thermal changes (7.2.1.1), wet or low-strength aggregates
from primer failure usually shows up in large areas, and (7.2.1.2), studded tires (7.2.1.3), previously occurring
eventually may debond the entire overlay. Even the stress substrate failures (7.2.2.1), overlay problems (7.2.2.2), and
of chipping back to soundly bonded PC may continue to workmanship (7.2.3). The job of finding out what the ac-
delaminate the bonded PC. When in doubt about the tual cause is may not be as complicated as it sounds be-
proper primer selection, more information from the man- cause the size, number, and relative location of the
ufacturer and as many technical sources as possible cracks are often indicative of their origins. Studded tire
should be obtained; a trial on a small test area should be traffic is probably the only source of damage that cannot
performed. be corrected, and some reflective cracking may have to
If the primer bond fails, it may be possible to use low- be tolerated, filling the crack with rubberized or silicone
pressure epoxy injection to bond the overlay to the sub- flexible joint-filling material.
strate. Extreme care should be taken when doing this to 7.3.2 Material selection-Since most of the same PC
avoid lifting the entire overlay. overlay materials can also be used to repair failures in
7.3.1.3 Overlay matrix failures come with many the PC overlay, the same guidelines for selecting binders
symptoms. Bulk failures usually mean the matrix has not and aggregates that are found in Chapters 2 and 3 apply.
sufficiently cured or that the aggregates were damp or Talk to commercial PC manufacturers technical field
contaminated. These causes are discussed in detail in representatives and to others who have experience with
Section 7.2.2. The faulty material must be removed and PC overlays and their repair before ordering PC mater-
 POLYMER CONCRETE OVERLAYS 548.5R-21

ials for patching. resin binders can be combined with an even greater num-
7.3.3 Techniques and tools-The tools and techniques ber of curing agents, hardeners, flexiiilizers, fillers, and
necessary to accomplish most repairs to PC overlays are other chemicals to produce a number of different PC
for the most part basic. Typical PC-repair tool boxes products with various combinations of their unique pro-
might include a copy of the PC manufacturers instruc- perties. This versatility that makes overlays so useful also
tions and MSDS, a wheelbarrow, buckets, large plastic contributes to handling problems for the applicator, since
pitchers or beakers, plastic syringes for initiator and the number and degree of hazardous materials and their
promoters, some sheet polyethylene, stirring paddles, combination may vary greatly.
screed, rod, pointing trowel, finishing trowel, hammer, Some typical health problems that may occur to vary-
coal chisel, and shovels. A small storage tank for clean, ing degrees when chemical materials are improperly
dry compressed air may prove useful, too. Also an air handled are eye irritation, redness, tearing, blurred
compressor equipped with a drier and an oil separator is vision, skin irritation, dermatitis, bums, rashes, nasal
needed, as is a small sandblast unit. irritation, dizziness, nausea, headache, and gastrointes-
For large repairs, specialized equipment may be ne- tinal irritation. In some instances, sensitization may not
cessary; however, advice from experienced PC overlay ap- occur immediately, and sometimes only after long periods
plicators should be sought. In addition to PC manufac- of continuous exposure. Workers should be warned
turers technical representatives, many states and pro- against being careless in thinking they are immune to
vinces have highway department personnel who can sensitization. The 16 CFR Part 1500 regulates the label-
direct PC-related questions to reliable experts. ing of hazardous materials such as resins, their modifiers,
Proper repair procedures include determining the hardeners, and curing agents. Individual states may also
cause of failure, correcting that cause, removing unsound have labeling guidelines that supplement federal regu-
or contaminated materials, sandblasting the bond surface, lations.
and repairing it with the correct PC. Specific techniques Prior to formulating, manufacturing, and installing PC
vary for different failures, different repair materials, and products, it is good practice for all workers and super-
different sizes of repair areas. However, placement of the visors to be instructed on the proper safe handling prac-
repair is probably the same as for the original overlay, tices for chemicals, cured PC waste material, and all
except that the application of the repair will probably be related equipment.
on a smaller scale (hand-batched and hand applied). It is
always best to consult manufacturers before beginning 8.3-Safe handling of overlay components
any major repairs. Safe practices for handling of PC overlay components
that should be put into effect are:

1. Persons handling these materials should be instruc-

C H A P T E R 8-HANDLING AND SAFETY ted to thoroughly wash their hands immediately after-
ward.
8.1 general 2. During mixing and applications, persons handling
The information that follows is meant to present gen- these materials and cleanup chemicals should wear pro-
eral guidelines in the safe handling and use of PC com- tective clothing (disposable, if possible including gloves,
ponents, cleanup solvents, and application equipment. It dust masks, aprons, safety glasses, and footwear, as re-
is not intended to provide safety guidelines on the use of quired, to prevent all contact with the skin and eyes. If
PC products. Information on safety and handling of raw soiled garments cannot be thoroughly cleaned, they
materials and PC types covered is for those materials should not be reused.
most commonly used in overlays and is not intended to 3. Fumes, vapors, or dust from handling overlay corn-
be all-inclusive. These guidelines are not intended to ponents must be controlled in the work area. In confined
replace manufacturers recommendations. This chapter areas or where no fresh air movement is available, equip-
covers safe practices for handling and storing the liquid ment should be installed so that vapors and dust are
components of the polymer binders and the aggregates, pulled away from and not into the breathing zone of the
and it outlines the safe use of tools and equipment. It is worker.
the supervisors responsibility to obtain and become 4. Most liquid components of PC overlays and cleanup
familiar with manufacturers warnings and the MSDS solvents are flammable, including their concentrated
available on all products. vapors, and extra care must be taken to prevent them
from coming in contact with an open flame source. This
8.2-General hazards is especially important when handling peroxide initiators,
Just as there are proper, safe personal hygiene prac- since they present a potential for a violent reaction in
tices for handling lime, acid, portland cement, etc., there addition to being a fire hazard.
are also precautions that should be observed when hand- All peroxide catalysts are decomposition hazards that
ling epoxy, polyester, methacrylate, polyurethane resins, may explode if not properly handled. Care must also be
and the materials used with them. A number of different taken to keep them away from any heat source, such as
548.5R-22 ACI COMMITTEE REPORT

steam pipes, radiators, sparks, etc., and from mechanical guishers, such as carbon dioxide and dry powder for
shocks like impact or friction. It is good practice not to Class B and C fires, should be readily accessible and
keep more than 1 days requirement of peroxide initiator their method of operation known. Wear goggles and face
at the job site. shields to protect the eyes. Protect skin and clothing with
5. Federal regulations 29 CFR Part 1910 (OSHA rubber gloves and aprons. Care should be taken in selec-
Standards) regulate handling of hazardous substances ting safe solvents to remove resinous products from the
including resins, their hardeners, and curing agents. skin. Care must be taken to prevent inhalation of solvent
6. Fillers and aggregates are considered hazardous vapors. Labels on containers should tell what precautions
under dusty conditions. In such cases, proper eye and are necessary when solvents are used. Information indi-
breathing protection such as safety goggles and dust cating health and fire hazards is extremely important. If
masks or a MSHA/NIOSH-approved dust respirator a solvent is not properly labeled, it should not be used.
should be employed when necessary. During manual
handling of these materials, one should wear long sleeves 8.7-Disposal
and close-weave cotton gloves with tight-fitting wristlets. Some of the chemical ingredients used in PC binders
When pouring fine fillers into a container of flammable are generally classified as either hazardous or irritants.
liquid, both containers should be grounded electrically to That classification includes all waste materials and pos-
prevent a static electric spark. sibly the cured PC product. Indiscriminate disposal of
chemicals is unacceptable and, in most instances, against
local, state, and federal regulations. Since disposal laws
8.4-What to do in case of direct contact are frequently updated and vary from state to state and
8.4.1 Clothing--If chemical contact with a workers at the municipal level, it is beyond the scope of this pub-
clothing occurs, the worker should wash skin contact area lication to provide set guidelines on disposal of PC
well and change clothing immediately. wastes or waste products. It is important that manufac-
8.4.2 Body-If chemical contact with a workers body turers and applicators of PC products become familiar
occurs, the worker should shower immediately with large with these disposal ordinances for proper disposal of
amounts of soap and water, removing all traces of the chemicals and waste PC. Appointment of a coordinator
contaminant. and establishment of a safety plan that will provide for
8.4.3 Eyes-If chemicals enter the eye, immediately the regular disposal of waste chemicals and products is
flush the eyes with large amounts of water and obtain recommended.
medical attention.
8.4.4 Cleaning agents--Use soap and water only to 8.8-Equipment
clean the body. Do not use solvents, since they will only All equipment used for the manufacture or applica-
dilute the chemical contaminant and possibly promote tion of PC should be kept in good condition, clean, free
further skin penetration, causing irritation, itching, or a of dirt, grease, and other chemicals prior to use and
burning sensation. should be immediately cleaned after use. A list of rec-
ommended safe cleaning solvents should be supplied by
8.5-Transferring safely the manufacturer. Mechanical equipment should be oper-
Liquid components of PC that are flammable should ated by spark-free induction motors and be grounded
be handled only in areas free of ignition sources and during use. Operators of equipment should be fully in-
never heated by using an open flame. Peroxide initiators structed in their use, care, and safe operation. In areas of
should never be handled or stored near heat sources or excess noise, operators should use ear plugs.
sources of contamination. Containers receiving resin
components should be cleaned and grounded to prevent 8.9-Education of personnel
static-generated sparks. Containers for transferring fiie It is imperative that specific recommendations for
powders should also be grounded. Areas where liquid proper handling, storage, transport, and use of any raw
transfer is to take place should have adequate ventilation materials and products be obtained from the manufac-
to prevent the accumulation of flammable vapors. When- turer or supplier. These recommendations should also in-
ever transferring chemical components to new containers, clude information on fire fighting and hazardous decom-
care should be taken to identify them properly, including position products that may form in a fire situation. It
fixing appropriate warning labels on each container. should be the supervisors responsibility to obtain and
become familiar with the MSDS available on all pro-
8.6-Cleanup solvents ducts. Prior to installing PC overlays, it is good practice
Solvents that are flammable and used for cleanup to have supervisors fully instruct the hands-on opera-
should be used only in spark-free areas and in containers tor(s) on the safe handling of these products and all
that are grounded to prevent static electricity. Tools used related equipment and tools. Assistance to address emer-
for cleanup should be nonsparking types. Adequate air gency situations, in addition to local medical sources,
ventilation or movement should be present to prevent may be found under first aid recommendations section in
concentration of flammable vapors. Suitable fire extin- the MSDS for each product used in PC.
 POLYMER CONCRETE OVERLAYS 548.5R-23

8.10-Safety publications Test Specimens in the Laboratory

l Supervisors Safety Manual-National Safety Council, C 293 Test Method for Flexural Strength of Concrete
444 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Ill., 60611, 5th (Using Simple Beam with Center-Point Load-
Edition, 1980, Library of Congress, Catalog Card No.: ing)
78-58304. C 531 Test Method for Linear Shrinkage and Coef-
l CRC Handbook of Laboratory Safety--The Chemical ficient of Thermal Expansion of Chemical-
Rubber Company, 18901 Cranwood Parkway, Cleveland, Resistant Mortars, Grouts, and Monolithic Sur-
Ohio, 44128, 2nd Edition, 1971, Library of Congress, facings
Catalog Card No.: 67-29478. C 566 Test Method for Total Moisture Content of Ag-
l Prudent Practices for Handling Hazardous Chemicals gregate by Drying
in Laboratories-National Academy Press, Washington, C 579 Test Method for Compressive Strength of
D.C., 5th Printing, Jan. 1984, Library of Congress, Chemical-Resistant Mortars, Grouts, and Mon-
Catalog Card No.: 80-26877. olithic Surfacings
l Safety and Accident Prevention in Chemical Opera- C 580 Test Method for Flexural Strength and Modulus
tions-Edited by Howard F. Fawcett and William S. of Elasticity of Chemical-Resistant Mortars,
Wood, 2nd Edition, New York, Wiley Publishing, 1982. Grouts, and Monolithic Surfacings
l Safe Use of Solvents, International Symposium of C 876 Test Method for Half-Cell Potentials of Un-
the Safe Use of Solvents, 1982-University of Sussex, A. coated Reinforcing Steel in Concrete
V. Collings, ed., New York, Academic Press. C 882 Test Method for Bond Strength of Epoxy-Resin
Systems Used with Concrete
C 884 Test Method for Thermal Compatibility Be-
CHAPTER 9-REFERENCES tween Concrete and an Epoxy-Resin Overlay
C 1202 Test Method for Electrical Indication of Con-
9.1-Specified references cretes Ability to Resist Cloride Ion Penetration
The documents of the various standards-producing or- D 412 Test Method for Rubber Properties in Tension
ganizations referred to in this guide are listed below with D 638 Test Method for Tensile Properties of Plastics
their serial designation. D 695 Test Method for Compressive Properties of
Rigid Plastics
American Association of State Highway and Transportation D 696 Test Method for Coefficient of Linear Thermal
Officials Expansion of Plastics
T 237 Testing Epoxy Resin Adhesive D 955 Test Method for Measuring Shrinkage from
T 277 Rapid Determination of Chloride Permeability Mold Dimensions of Molded Plastics
of Concrete D 1824 Test Method for Apparent Viscosity of Plasti-
sols and Organosols at Low Shear Rates by
American Concrete Institute Brookfield Viscometer
116R Cement and Concrete Terminology D 2393 Test Method for Viscosity of Epoxy Resins and
224.1R Causes, Evaluation, and Repair of Cracks in Related Components
Concrete Structures D 2471 Test Method for Gel Tiie and Peak Exother-
228.1R In-Place Methods for Determination of Strength mic Temperature of Reacting Thermosetting
of Concrete Resins
503R Use of Epoxy Compounds with Concrete D 2849 Method of Testing Urethane Foam Polyol Raw
503.5R Guide for the Selection of Polymer Adhesives Materials
with Concrete D 3633 Test Method for Electrical Resistivity of Mem-
546.1R Guide for Repair of Concrete Bridge Super- brane-pavement Systems
structures D 4263 Test Method for Indicating Moisture in Con-
548R Polymers in Concrete State of the Art (out of crete by the Plastic Sheet Method
print) D 4417 Test Method for Field Measurement of Surface
548.lR Guide for the Use of Polymers in Concrete Profile of Blast Cleaned Steel
E 96 Standard Test Methods for Water Vapor Trans-
American Society for Testing and Materials mission of Materials
C 33 Specification for Concrete Aggregates E 303 Test Method of Measuring Surface Frictional
C 42 Methods of Obtaining and Testing Drilled Properties Using the British Pendulum Tester
Cores and Sawed Beams of Concrete E 501 Specification for Standard Tire for Pavement
C 78 Test Method for Flexural Strength of Concrete Skid-Resistance Tests
(Using Simple Beam with Third-Point Leading) E 524 Specification for Smooth Tread Standard Tire
C 136 Method for Sieve Analysis of Fine and Coarse for Special-Purpose Pavement Skid-Resistance
Aggregates Tests
C 192 Method of Making and Testing Cured Concrete E 950 Test Method for Measuring the Longitudinal
548.5R-24 ACI COMMITTEE REPORT

Profile of Vehicular Traveled Surface with an Elsevier Applied Sciences, New York.
Inertial ProfiIometer Baumeister, T., ed., 1967, Standard Handbook for
E 1215 Specification for Trailer Used for Measuring Mechanical Engineers, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New
Vehicle Response to Road Roughness York.
E 1274 Test Method for Measuring Pavement Rough- Better Roads, 1986, Rehabilitating with Skid-Resistant
ness Using a Profilograph Surfaced Aluminim Decks, V. 56, No. 11, p. 34.
Carter, P.D., 1990, Thin Polymer Wearing Surfaces
Code of Federal Regulations for Preventive Maintenance of Bridge Decks, Presented
49 CFR* 173.115 at ACI Fall Convention, Philadelphia.
Degussa Product Data, 1990, Degadur Methacrylate
Federal Highway Administration Resins for Surface Protection, Degussa Corporation.
FHWA-RD-81-119 Rapid Determination of the Chlor- Kamath, V.R., and Stromberg, S.E., 1967, Organic
ide Permeability of Concrete Peroxides, Modern Plastics Encyclopedia, McGraw-Hill
Book Co., New York.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration Kirk-Othmer, 1982, Encyclopedia of Chemical Technol-
16 CFR* Part 1500 ogy, V. 17, 3rd ed., Peroxides and Peroxy Compounds,
29 CFR* Part 1910 Organic, p. 79 (209).
Kirk-Othmer, 1982, Encyclopedia of Chemical Technol-
Steel Structures Painting Council ogy, V. 17, 3rd ed., Peroxides and Peroxy Compounds,
VIS-89 Visual Standard for Abrasive Blast Cleaned Organic, p. 79 (212).
Steel Kirk-Othmer, 1982, Encyclopedia of Chemical Technol-
ogy, V. 17, 3rd ed., Peroxides and Peroxy Compounds,
The preceding publications may be obtained from the Organic, p. 79 (232).
following organizations: Krauss, P.D., 1988, Status of Polyester-Styrene Resin
Concrete Bridge Deck and Highway Overlays in Califor-
American Association of Highway and Transportation nia," SPI 43rd Annual Conference Proceedings, SPI.
Officials Lucidol Penwalt Technical Data, 1984, Evaluation of
444 North Capitol Street NW, Suite 225 Organic Peroxides from Half-Life Data, Lucidol Penn-
Washington, DC 20001 walt.
Mottara, A; Crespi, R.; and Liborio, G., 1978, Simon
American Concrete Institute and Schuster's Guide to Rocks and Minerals, Prinz, M.,
PO Box 1910 Harlow, G., and Peter, J., eds, Simon and Schuster, New
Detroit, MI 48219-0150 York).
Peschke, H J., 1981, Stress and Strain Analysis Along
American Society for Testing and Materials the Interface of Cementitious Concrete and Polymer
1916 Race Strret Concrete, presented at 3rd ICPIC, Koriyama, Japan.
Philadelphia, PA 19103 Redfoot, H.L., 1985, "Acrylics," Modern Plastic Ency-
clopedia, McGraw-HilI Book Co., New York.
*Code of Federal Regulations Sax, N.I., and Lewis, R.J., 1988, Dangerous Properties
Office of the Federal Register of Industrial Materials, 7th ed., 1988, Van Nostrand,
National Archives and Records Administration Reinhold, New York.
US Government Printing Office Shell Chemical Company Technical Bulletin, 1986, SC
Washington DC 106-86, NIOSH Letter, Jan. 30, with attachment. Back-
ground Information 4,4-Diaminodiphenylaethane
Federal Highway Administration (DDM). No. 7, p 6.
6300 Georgetown Pike Silikal Product Data, 1987, "Silikal R66 Flexible
McCIean, VA 22101 Binder, Silikal North America, Inc.
Sprinkel, M.M., 1989, Performance of Multiple Layer
National Association of Corrosion Engineers Polymer Concrete Overlays on Bridge Decks, Polymers
PO Box 218340 in Concrete: Advances and Applications, SP-116, American
Houston, TX 77218-8340 Concrete Institute, Detroit, p. 61.
Steel Structures Painting Council, 1989, Visual
Steel Structures Painting Council Standard for Abrasive Blast Cleaned Steel, VIS-89,
4516 Henry Street, Suite 301 SSPC, Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3728 Transpo Product Data, 1990, Transpo T-30 MMA
Thin Polymer Overlay, Transpo Industries Inc.
9.2-Cited references Websters New Collegiate Dictionary, 1973, G.C. Mer-
AIger, M.S.M., 1989, Polymer Science Dictionary, riam Co., Springfield.
 POLWER CONCRETE OVERLAYS 548.5R-25

TOPOWERSUPPLY

/-, MICROMETER IXSl ACEMENT

?wN!AncHl

.4
EltuEis-
PUJQ BRASS STEM BRAISED
2
I TOPUIQ
3
0
3

TEFUNMXD
w
Fig. A.1-Curing shrinkage test

Fig. A.2-Ohama and Demura method

Winter, R., and Shing, Li, 1985, Ultraviolet
Stabilizers, Modern Plastics Encyclopedia, McGraw-Hill Curing shrinkage test: The Ohama and Demura method
Book Co., New York. This method utilizes a 3 x 3 x 12-m. (76 x 76 x
Yoshihiko, Ohama; Katsunori, Demura; and Masashi, 305-MM) specimen cast in a Teflon-Lined mold. Each end
Komiyama, 1979, Length Change of Polyester Resin of the mold has a l-in. (25-mm) diameter circular de-
Concrete, Plastic Mortars, Sealants, and Caulking Com- pression cut in the Teflon. A l-in. (25-mm) diameter cir-
pounds, ACS Symposium Series, No. 113. cular brass fitting with a stem is placed in the depression
with the stem extending through a hole in the end of the
mold (Fig. A-2). A displacement transducer is then
APPENDIX placed on each end of the mold and, with a small spring,
is kept in contact with the brass stem. Thus, shrinkage
Curing shrinkage test* can be measured simultaneously from both ends. Stop-
The apparatus shown in Fig. A.1 employs a Teflon- cock grease is applied to the stem to minimize friction.
lined mold with inside dimensions of 3 in. wide x 3 in. The two direct current displacement transducers (DCDT)
deep x 12 in. long (76 x 76 x 305 mm) and a removable are connected in a series, and the results are printed on
device for measuring strain. a chart recorder. Mixing and placing of the PC is accom-
The strain-measuring device consists of two detach- plished as previously discussed.
able prongs that are attached to a horizontal rod in a
manner that allows one prong to slide freely along the Guillotine shear test
rod on roller bearings, while keeping the other prong General--Currently there are no ASTM standards
fixed. Attached to the top of the fixture is a displacement available for measuring the direct shear strength of con-
transducer that is fixed to the horizontal rod in such crete materials. The procedure used at BNL (Brookhaven
manner as to measure the movement of the free prong. National Laboratory) utilizes a simple guillotine fixture
The transducers wires are connected to a data logger or to obtain comparative shear values for concretes, polymer
chart recorder for recording the movement of the prong. concretes, etc.
A barrel-micrometer is also affixed to the top of the free Equipment-Specimens are held in a fixture, as shown
prong to enable zeroing and calibration of the displace- in Fig. A-3.
ment transducer. Initially, a lock pin holds the free prong Load is applied with a 60-kip (300-kN) compression
rigid for placement into the fresh mortar or concrete. or universal testing machine.
The entire strain-measuring device is suspended above Specimens--Specimens are either cast or cored to fit
the filled mold, with only the ends of the prongs sub- the fixture and are prepared according to ASTM C 192
merged into the matrix. or ASTM C 42.
The matrix is mixed and placed into the mold either Procedure-Measurements are made of the specimen
immediately before or immediately after the strain-mea- diameter to the nearest 0.01 in. (0.25 mm). Au average
suring device is properly positioned (whichever is easier of two measurements made at right angles to each other
for the specific matrix). Once the device is properly in the shear area of the specimen is used to determine
positioned and the disturbed matrix stops flowing to the diameter. Load is applied to the shear fixture
equilibrium, the lock pin is pulled and the transducer is through a spherical bearing block. The load rate is 2000
zeroed with the micrometer. The recorder then tracks the
shrinkage of the matrix for whatever period of time re- *This test method was originally proposed by DuPont de Nemours Chemical
quired. Company. This test has been submitted to ASTM C 9 for review.
548.5R-26 ACI COMMITTEE REPORT

.
0 small electro-magnet (only if PC matrix contains
steel fibers or metallic fillers)
sieve shaker and stack consisting of No. 4
(4.76 mm), No. 16 (1.00 mm), No. 50 (300 mm), No. 100
(150 mm), and No. 200 (75 mm) sieves
Test specimen shall be at least 1.5 x 1.5 x 1 in. (38 x
38 x 25 mm) prism cut and ground from a larger piece.
1. The specimen shall be cleaned and dried and then
placed into a clean dry crucible The crucible shall then
be covered with its porcelain lid and then weighed to the
nearest gram.
2. Place the covered crucible into the muffle furnace
and turn up the temperature control to 1000 F (538 C).
Let the furnace run for 6 hr. Then allow furnace to cool
+ to approximately 400 F (204 C) and remove the cruciile
f from the furnace with tongs. Allow the crucible to cool
to room temperature with the lid on. Weigh (and record
to the nearest unit) the combined cruciile, lid, and re-
Fig. A.3-Concrete shear test fixture for 2 3/16-in. diameter mains of the PC.
specimen 3. Using the electromagnet, remove all the metal
fibers and metallic fillers from the matrix, recording these
psi/min (14 MPA/min). The shear strength then is cal- weights (masses).
culated 4. Sieve the remaining material and record the weight
of each fraction retained on the sieves.
5. Weigh the empty crucible and its lid.

Calculations
where S, is the shear stress, P is the maximum load a. Subtract the weight in item No. 2 from the weight
carried by the specimen, and A is the average cross- in item No. 1. This gives the resin weight.
sectional area of the specimen. b. Subtract the weight in item No. 5 from the weight
in item No. 1. This gives the weight of the PC specimen.
Ashing procedure for determining the proportions of c. The resin weight divided by the PC weight is the
constituents in polymer concretes-Equipment needed resin weight percentage.
l 4.5 lb (2.0 kg) capacity (or greater) balance sensitive d. The weight from item No. 3 divided by the PC
to nearest 0.001 lb (0.5 g). weight is the steel fiber or steel filler weight percentage.
l 8.5 fl. oz. (250 ml) crucibles [approximately 4-in. e. Each sieve fraction weight divided by the PC weight
(102-mm)] diameter x 2.5 in. (64 mm) with lids. is the weight percent of that retain.
l long-handled tongs, or crucible holders
l muffle furnace (min. 5 in. W x 4 in. H x 5 in. D
(127 mm x 102 mm x 127 mm) This report was submitted to letter ballot of the committee.