A surface engineering approach applicable to concrete repair engineering

The objective of the paper is to analyze the effect of substrate roughness and superficial microcraking upon adhesion of repair systems using concrete surface engineering approach. The results presented in this paper have been obtained within the framework of research projects performed to develop a better understanding of the factors affecting the adhesion of repair materials through a surface engineering approach. Based on the results of investigations, the authors showed that the durability and quality of concrete repairs depend to a large degree on the characteristics of the substrate. Mechanical preparation and profiling of the concrete surface to be repaired has to be balanced with potential co-lateral effects such as superficial cracking, too often induced as a result of inappropriate concrete removal method selection, and the loss of benefits due to better mechanical anchorage. The results obtained confirm also that Concrete Surface Engineering, as a scientific concept, will definitely contribute to shed more light on how to optimize repair bond, taking into account interactions between the materials at different observation scales.