Specification guidelines for surface preparation of concrete prior to repair

The repair of concrete requests specific preparation operations needed for guaranteeing compatibility between substrate and new materials as well as the development of adhesion properties. These specification guidelines contain design and construction recommendations for surface preparation of concrete for repair and overlay. The paper summarizes current knowledge, best practices and results of the research concerning the surface preparation of concrete prior to application of repair/overlay materials. The specifications are applicable to repairing damaged or deteriorated concrete structures, correcting design or construction deficiencies, or upgrading a structure for new uses, or to meet more restrictive code requirements. This is based on 10 years research activities on this topic through scientific cooperation programs between Wallonia, Quebec and Poland and support of American Concrete Institute.