RepairStructuralQ We have a cast-in-place wall with extensive rock pockets and voids from inadequate vibration during casting. One option is to tear down the wall and replace, however we are wondering if shotcrete can be used to repair the deficiencies. If so, what are the recommended procedures to prepare and shotcrete the repairs?
Shotcrete is a great solution to your wall casting issue. In all shotcrete repair to get the best bond you need to:
1. Chip back to sound substrate – all the rock pockets and voids should be chipped out (or you can use hydrodemolition) to sound concrete.
2. If the chipped-out area is deep into the wall, make sure to have the opening at about a 45° angle from the back of the chipped out area to the surface so that the air flow providing shotcrete’s high velocity can escape and not be trapped.
3. Do not feather edge the perimeter of the repaired opening. Provide a ¾ to 1 in. (19 to 25 mm) roughly square shoulder at the perimeter edge. If this is sawcut make sure the sawed surface is roughened before shotcreting.
4. Thoroughly clean the chipped-out area to remove all dust.
5. Bring the entire chipped out area to a saturated surface dry condition.
6. Do NOT use a bonding agent. It will detract from the inherent excellent bond of shotcrete.
7. Use an experienced shotcrete nozzleman (ACI-certified in the vertical orientation for the process being used) with a quality concrete mixture, and proper shotcrete equipment.
8. Make sure the shotcrete finishers are experienced and do not tear or delaminate the shot sections.
9. Protect the freshly shot and finished sections from freezing or extremely hot weather.
10. Cure the shot sections for a minimum of 7 days. A water cure is preferred to a curing membrane. Either wet-mix or dry-mix would be suitable for your project.The shotcrete contractor you select for the project should recommend the process they are best suited for based on their crew experience and equipment. Appropriate testing for this type of repair may include compression testing of the materials from shotcreted panels (ASTM C1140 Standard Practice for Preparing and Testing Specimens from Shotcrete Test Panels, ASTM C1604 Standard Test Method for Obtaining and Testing Drilled Cores of Shotcrete, and ACI 506.2 Specification for Shotcrete), and bond pull-off tests to verify the bond of the shotcreted material to the original substrate. For more guidance on shotcrete and its use in concrete repairs, you may want to review ACI 506R-16 Guide to Shotcrete, as it can give you more detailed information about shotcrete materials, surface preparation, shotcrete crews and placement, testing, protection and curing.
