Concrete floors, particularly if outdoors or in industrial environments, are subject to heavy mechanical and chemical-physical stress. The further aggression caused by frost-defrost cycles can cause serious degradation and early aging of the floor. Over the years, the continuous and repeated degradation actions and natural wear due to use cause cortical detachment, which can be considerable and a few centimetres deep, cracks in the joints, surface fraying, pulverisation, etc.

In heavy industrial environments (steel factories, mechanical industries, chemical industries, etc.), further cases of degradation are possible on the surface of the flooring, due to enormous mechanical stress, possible thermal stress and chemical abrasion (such as the frequent and considerable impregnation of hydrocarbons). The repair cycle proposed was in fact developed between 2004-2006 for cortical repair of flooring in the Taranto steel factories, specifically requested by the client. In this case, total milling was decided of the degraded part impregnated with hydrocarbons, for a depth of a few centimetres and its renovation as indicated below. The same procedure was then used in hundreds of other building sites at national level, proving its efficiency, especially in environments subject to high mechanical stress.

The intervention protocol includes:

• Preparation of the support
• Positioning of the reinforcement mesh
• Laying of an epoxy primer
• Laying the shrink-proof mortar
• Consolidating impregnation of the finished surface

• The tendency to lift of the new, fine slab, especially during transit of heavy vehicles, is guaranteed by the dual anchorage of the support itself: mechanical anchorage (2 mm wire mesh 5x5 cm) and chemical anchorage (SYNTECH RGS).
• The tendency to crack of the new slab was solved by adding a mix of polypropylene and glass fibres (in some cases steel fibres were also added, using READYMESH M1-220) and the presence of shrink-proof agents, to guarantee dimensional stability during hardening.
• The surface hardness, indispensable to support heavy operating loads to which these types of repairs are subjected, is guaranteed by the quality of the main product (FLOOR Q), shrink-proof, fluid cement mortar fibre-reinforced and offering the highest mechanical performance. Furthermore, impregnation with QL NANO LITHIUM, a lithium silicate solution, enhances the overall properties.

Lastly, the overall waterproofing of the system is ensured, as well as the impregnation with lithium silicates, also by the firm presence of thickened micro-silicates in FLOOR Q.