UndergroundQ I am evaluating a community in central Colorado that contains shotcrete slope reinforcement ranging from 14 to 44 ft (4 to 13 m) in height. Assuming the installation met all required guidelines, what should I anticipate as a useful life for this product?
Shotcrete is a method of placing concrete and properly placed shotcrete should have a service life similar to cast concrete. Generally, concrete structures in normal environmental exposures are expected to have service lives from 50 to 100 years. With particular attention to materials and construction methods, some concrete structures, such as the new San Francisco Bay Bridge, have been designed for a service life up to 150 years. The first step in achieving a long-lasting, high-quality installation is to engage a highly qualified and experienced shotcrete contractor. There are many other factors that influence service life, including using the right mixture design for the anticipated exposure conditions.