In the wave of urban construction and rural transformation, concrete pavement has become the mainstream choice of road construction due to its sturdy and durable and fast construction.
However, with the passage of time and the influence of various natural and man-made factors, cracks in concrete pavement are not uncommon, which not only affects the aesthetics of the road, but also poses a threat to driving safety.
So, in the face of the stubborn problem of cracks in concrete pavement, how should we deal with it? This article will reveal the secrets behind the cracks and provide practical solutions to help you restore the smoothness and beauty of the road with ease.
First of all, we need to understand the causes of cracks in concrete pavement. Generally speaking, concrete pavement cracks can be divided into four categories: shrinkage cracks, load cracks, temperature cracks and freeze-thaw cracks.
Shrinkage cracks originate from stress cracks caused by volume shrinkage caused by water evaporation during the hardening process after concrete pouring. The load crack is caused by the vehicle repeatedly rolling, overload operation and other external forces, exceeding the bearing limit of concrete; Temperature cracks are formed due to the sensitivity of concrete materials to temperature changes, and the alternation of cold and heat leads to uneven thermal expansion and contraction. Freeze-thaw cracks are cracks caused by concrete freezing and expanding under cold conditions, shrinking after thawing, and repeating cycles.
In view of the above-mentioned crack causes, the key to the treatment of concrete pavement cracks lies in both prevention and repair. Preventive measures include rational design of concrete ratios, addition of steel bars or fiber-reinforced materials to improve crack resistance; Strictly control the construction process, such as layered pouring, timely moisturizing and curing, etc.; Reasonable arrangement of expansion joints to reduce the influence of temperature stress.
And for the cracks that have appeared, we have the following repair strategies:
Crack grouting method: suitable for widths in 0For cracks above 1mm, fill the cracks with special grouting materials to restore structural integrity, prevent water infiltration, and delay crack propagation.
Surface closure method: for widths less than 02mm micro cracks can be coated and sealed with polymer mortar, epoxy resin and other materials to achieve the purpose of waterproof and seepage-proof.
Renovation and reconstruction method: In the case of severe cracks and deep depth, it may be necessary to partially or completely remove the original concrete and relay new concrete to ensure the strength and durability of the pavement.
Prestressed reinforcement method: For load cracks, holes can be drilled on both sides of the crack and prestressed tendons can be applied to offset the stress at the crack by tensioning the prestressed tendons, so as to achieve the effect of repair and reinforcement.
In the face of the problem of concrete pavement cracks, we must not only start from the source, do a good job in prevention, but also flexibly use various repair methods according to the specific situation to scientifically and accurately improve the disease.
Only in this way can the concrete pavement maintain its due service life, ensure road traffic safety, and maintain the good image of urban infrastructure. At the same time, this is also the unshirkable responsibility and mission of every city builder and manager.