Concrete Cancer (also known as – Concrete Spalling), can be devastating for your building or structure. But don’t worry, there is a cure and it can be repaired! If you catch it early, it can be repaired at a low cost.

Concrete Cancer Repair costs rapidly get more and more expensive the longer you leave it, especially if you have Magnesite Flooring As a Builder, Project Manager, Strata, or anyone else facing this issue. It’s important to jump on top of the repairs as fast as possible. Concrete Cancer will often be very visible as loose concrete, rust stains, rusty reo bars and other issues can be seen.

What Is Concrete Cancer?

The first thing we need to discuss is the composition of concrete structures. Concrete is a porous material and when used for construction, reinforcing steel is inserted to bolster its strength. Because concrete is porous, it can absorb water and salt air very easily, which corrodes the steel inside.

This process is what gives a structure Concrete Cancer. Concrete cancer is when concrete absorbs water and salt air which rusts the steel within. When steel corrodes, it expands. When it expands, it cracks the concrete.

The alkali-silica reaction, more commonly known as concrete cancer, is a deleterious swelling reaction that occurs over time in concrete between the highly alkaline cement paste and the reactive amorphous silica found in many common aggregates, given sufficient moisture

The cracking accelerates the concrete cancer process by exposing more of the steel, which significantly weakens the building. It is called Concrete Cancer because if left untreated the damage will grow further, faster, and be more severe. So get on top of it early!

The 10 Signs Of Concrete Cancer – How To Identify Concrete Cancer

Luckily with concrete cancer, the signs are a good deal more obvious than with people. All you have to do is conduct regular inspections so it doesn’t creep up on you! Here are some of the most notorious signs:

1) Rust: Rust marks will appear and is a sign of Concrete Cancer.

2) Worn Surfaces: Unprotected, porous surfaces lead to water absorption and Concrete Cancer.

3) Cracked / Fractured Concrete: Cracks provide water access to the steel reinforcement instigating Concrete Cancer and fracturing the concrete enabling further water penetration. Parts of concrete crumble away.

4) Moisture Stains and Ponding: Inadequate drainage causes water to settle into concrete leading to Concrete Cancer. When water comes into contact with steel reinforcement, the steel rusts.

5) Failing Control and Expansion Joints: Joints that do not facilitate concrete movement can lead to concrete fracturing and Concrete Cancer.

6) Inadequate Concrete Cover: Steel reinforcement too close to the surface makes it easier for water absorption resulting in Concrete Cancer.

7) Rusted Balustrade Fixings: Rust spreads to the embedded concrete starting the Concrete Cancer process.

8) Bubbling Paint: Paint that appears to be bubbling i.e. on soffits, often means Concrete Cancer is present.

9) Hollow Surfaces: Concrete surfaces that seem hollow usually have Concrete Cancer.

10) Exposed Steel Reinforcement: Concrete Cancer causes concrete to break away exposing the steel reinforcement.

If you look out for these things regularly, notice one of the signs early, and get on top of it, the cost you will pay and damage to your building or structure will be significantly reduced. If you do notice one of these things, you should contact a professional to give a proper diagnosis.

How Do We Repair Concrete Cancer?

Step 1: Free Quote: Our team performs an on-site inspection and provides a free quote for the Concrete Cancer Repairs

Step 2: Site Inspection: We will examine the site and identify what’s causing Concrete Cancer, where it’s located, and how we can repair it

Step 3: How The Process Starts: Our team will break off any affected concrete and steel

Step 4: Cut and Clean: We will perform a precise cut and clean up any edges where the affected concrete has been broken off

Step 5: Rust: We will then grind back any reinforcing steel beams to remove any rusted steel if required

Step 5: Cleaning: We will clean all surrounding concrete and steel to ensure that the primers and rust inhibitors bond correctly

Step 6: Installation: Installation of primers and rust inhibitors after cleaning has been finished. We treat the steel with anti-corrosive membranes

Step 7: Repairs: Add new steel if required, then pour new concrete

Step 8: Coating: Coat concrete with a waterproof sealant to prevent future issues

How Does Concrete Cancer Occur?

The large, glaringly obvious reason for concrete cancer is moisture in the concrete. Here are some more causes to be aware of for your concrete building or structure:

– Poor waterproofing that allows moisture into the concrete 

– Salt air and chlorides if your building or structure is near the ocean on a river

– Building defects 

– Humid or rainy weather and general wear and tear 

– Poor quality concrete 

– The earth’s foundation is built on shifts and moves, promoting cracks

What Structures Are Most At Risk?

A structure most at risk of concrete cancer is a structure exposed to any or all of the things above. However, usually, concrete cancer is prevalent in buildings that are older than 10 years old. That isn’t to say younger buildings aren’t at risk, but if your building is more than 10 years old, you should be hyper-aware of the signs.

Treating concrete cancer is highly, highly recommended to be done by a professional. When you have concrete cancer, the spread of it must be shut down. Otherwise, the structural integrity of the building will be compromised and you could be facing exorbitant prices to fix it, or even have the entire building destroyed.

It should be noted that most buildings from the 1920s to the 1990s have Magnesite Flooring in the unit. This rapidly increases the speed of concrete cancer and should be removed and fixed ASAP.

Properties closer to the ocean/beaches will also have Concrete Cancer rapidly start a lot faster than properties that are not near the ocean/beaches. Salt hastens the rusting process, so buildings along the coastline are more susceptible to concrete cancer due to salt in the air.

Is It Safe To Buy A Property With Concrete Cancer?

Yes, whoever the long answer is, it is best to avoid a property with existing Concrete Cancer. You don’t want to agree to buy a property that has existing Concrete Cancer or showing signs of Concrete Cancer. Only to realise the full extent of the issue and repair costs after you have purchased the property. It is not uncommon for property owners to try their best to cover Concrete Cancer to avoid repair costs prior to selling the property.

it will cost you thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars to fix. So, the concrete slab probably won’t fall on top of you from above (although it could!), but, if it has concrete cancer, there is a large list of reasons why it must be repaired for safety reasons.

When it comes to Concrete Cancer on your floor, is extremely common and must be repaired before any Floor Levelling product, Flooring System, or Floor Coating is installed. if you fail to make the repairs, It will most likely cause your Floor Levelling,  Flooring System, or Coating that you have installed to fail. You will not receive a warranty on any of the products installed, most companies are not willing to install Magnesite Flooring or concrete affected by Concrete Cancer.

What Does Concrete Cancer Look Like?

We will display photos below of “What Concrete Cancer Looks Like” It should be noted that we have thousands of photos and Concrete Cancer can range from very minor, to extreme. Some of the photos are “Before and After Repair Photos” and some photos are simply photos of Concrete Cancer. Feel free to reach out for more photos!

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