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Enhancing Concrete Trench Drains: The Ultimate Solution

Concrete trench drains, resembling channels, are crucial for swiftly evacuating surface water or safely containing utility lines and chemical spills. Their significance is most pronounced in industrial facilities. Nevertheless, the passage of time can take its toll on concrete trenches, leading to damage from various sources, such as fire, aggregate expansion, sea water, bacterial corrosion, calcium leaching, physical impact, and chemical deterioration (carbonation, chlorides, sulfates, and distilled water). This ongoing process negatively impacts the structural integrity of concrete, resulting in potential leakage, loss of strength, and the necessity for repair or replacement.

Consider an instance where concrete damage plagued a battery distribution plant, a facility under a decade old that had previously been safeguarded by a novolac coating. The failure of this coating allowed the acid bath from the battery forming process to infiltrate the concrete in two sections. This bath, containing diluted H2SO4 with a pH of 1-2 and a concentration below 98%, had created a corrosive chemical reaction with the concrete. As a result, the concrete had corroded to about half of its initial thickness, resulting in roughly 35% failed concrete. Upon evaluation, it was predicted that failure would occur within one year if the necessary repairs weren't carried out within six months.

Repairing concrete corrosion necessitates the removal of deteriorated concrete and patching the substrate to restore its original, uniform shape. Surface preparation and neutralization are the next steps. HJ3 used abrasive blasting to eliminate loose and deteriorated concrete, followed by the application of HJ3’s CarbonSeal primer and CarbonSeal high modulus paste. The CarbonSeal carbon fiber reinforcing fabric was then saturated and installed in the trench up to the 2” x 2” shelf. To maximize the repair's lifespan, HJ3 applied a chemical-resistant top coat extending 1” across the board and on the 2” x 2” shelf. This chemical-resistant coating is engineered to endure 98% H2SO4 concentration, ensuring the repair's long-lasting durability.

Concrete corrosion is an ongoing concern for industrial facilities worldwide. The global cost of corrosion, encompassing both direct and indirect expenses, is estimated at over $6 trillion. Trench replacement at manufacturing facilities can be prohibitively expensive, accounting for materials, labor, and lost production time. However, HJ3’s CarbonSeal repair system presented an effective solution, allowing the facility to resume operations within a week and saving them 85% compared to trench replacement. The chemical-resistant top coat guarantees the trenches can withstand the constant exposure to the acid bath, ensuring uninterrupted operations for years to come. If you have a reinforced concrete trench in need of reinforcement or chemical resistance and would like to explore HJ3’s CarbonSeal industrial repair systems, please contact our project managers at hj3pm@hj3.com.

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