Concrete maintenance and repair with MCI®-2019

Value engineering is not limited to the construction phase. It is also essential to ensure projects are completed on time and within budget during the maintenance and repair stages of existing reinforced concrete structures. True value engineering saves money without sacrificing service life, construction, or material quality. It should ideally bring value to the project. MCI®-2019 is one such value engineering solution that may be used to increase the service life of existing concrete structures. The Benefit of MCI® water repellents

MCI®-2019 is a 40 percent silane, solvent-based, concrete water repellent containing corrosion inhibitors. The small molecules of MCI®-2019 can easily penetrate the concrete, providing water repellency by chemically reacting with cementitious substrates under the proper application. MCI®-2019 seals surface pores, preventing chloride and carbonation intrusion and protecting against wind-driven rain. Treated areas retain their original appearance and are breathable. MCI®-2019 is an excellent option as the finishing touch on a concrete repair (where no membrane or coating system is used) and for periodic maintenance every 7–10 years. Since MCI®-2019 increases service life, it can ultimately reduce the use of repair or reconstruction materials, thus contributing to sustainability.

Coping with Silane Shortages

One of the significant challenges for the construction industry and many others today is the issue of raw material shortages, which consequently drives the cost of materials up. For instance, silane supplies are often delayed or difficult to find. Using only 40 percent silane relaxes the demand and helps the pool go further while providing a significant degree of water repellency. Since MCI®-2019 contains migratory corrosion inhibitors that provide active corrosion protection at the rebar, the need for 100% silane is also not as strong because a dual mechanism is at work to keep corrosives out and resist those that do find their way in.

Cutting Costs

In addition to working around supply chain shortages, MCI^®-2019 is also a great way to help cut costs when working on a limited budget. This is especially true with the current combination of supply chain shortages and inflation driving up the price of silane even further. Using MCI^®-2019 saves costs compared to similar alternative systems. It can help a project stay within budget while still offering an excellent source of corrosion protection.

Labour time and intensity.

Another way MCI^®-2019 can save costs is simply by requiring less labour than other water repellents and surface-applied corrosion inhibitors (SACIs). Silane wears out and erodes over time, so a good maintenance practice is to reapply it at 7–10-year intervals to maintain concrete water resistance and simultaneously add another dose of SACIs. Usually, workers water-blast the surface to make sure the silane residual is completely cleaned off and then apply a new SACI and a 100% silane water repellent. However, with MCI^®-2019, this may be unnecessary. Workers can save time by applying one or two coats of a two-in-one product and leaving the old silane in place. The silane in MCI^®-2019 supplements any residual silane, while migrating corrosion inhibitors are still able to penetrate the concrete. A further advantage is that MCI^®-2019 does not etch, stain, discolour, or otherwise harm glass or aluminium.

Repair of University Towers

In 2015, three 1970s cast-in-place concrete residence towers at a midwestern university required repair due to rusted rebar in the concrete. The project’s specifying engineer stated after using MCI®-2019 instead of a standard 40 percent solids silane water repellent post-repair, “MCI®-2019 provided a cost-effective solution in applying both a migratory corrosion inhibitor and a silane sealer in a single product in one application with no resulting colour change to concrete façades.” The non-etching feature was crucial to protecting the structure’s new windows, and the parties involved were happy with the ease of the MCI®-2019 application.

Be ready with multiple value engineering solutions.

In today’s market, having many different value engineering options at one’s fingertips is important. MCI®-2019 can help engineers and contractors cope with silane shortages and stay within budget, all while fortifying concrete with corrosion inhibitors to extend service life. Contact Cortec® to discuss this and other value engineering solutions for your construction and repair projects:

For more details, please visit: https://www.cortecmci.com/contact-us/