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503R-93 USE OF EPOXY COMPOUNDS WITH CONCRETE ACI 503R-93
USE OF EPOXY COMPOUNDS WITH CONCRETE

Reapproved 1998
Reported by Committee 503
H. Aldridge Gillespie
Chairman
Russell H. Brink
Belmon U. Duvall
Robert W. Gaul
Robert F. Kemphues
Harold C. Klassen
Members of committee voting on the 1993 revisions:
Raymond J. Schutz
Chairman
Milton D. Anderson
Craig A. Ballinger
Roger W. Black
Frank J. Constantino
John P. Cook
Floyd E. Dimmick
Wolfgang O. Eisenhut
Jack J. Fontana
Robert W. Gaul
James D. Kriegh
William H. Kuenning
Leonard J. Mitchell
Myles A. Murray
G. Michael Scales
Scott W. Harper
Paul R. Hollenbach
David P. Hu
T. Michael Jackson
Troy D. Madeley
Albert Mayer
Joseph A. McElroy
Paul F. McHale
Peter Mendis
Epoxy compounds have found a wide variety of uses in the concrete indus-
try as coatings, grouts, binders, sealants, bonding agents, patching mater-
ials, and general adhesives.
Properties, uses, preparations, mixtures, application, and handling
requirements of epoxy resin systems when applied to and used with concrete
and mortar are presented. The adhesiveness of epoxy and its chemical,
thermal, and physical properties are given. The modification of the fore-
going properties to accommodate given situations is reviewed.
Problems encountered in surface preparation are reviewed and proce-
dures and techniques given to insure successful bonding of the epoxy to the
other materials. Temperature conditioning of the base material and epoxy
compound are outlined. The cleaning and maintaining of equipment is re-
viewed. Procedures to be followed in the application of epoxy compounds
in the several use situations are given. The important factors which insure
that the epoxy compound will harden (cure) and therefore perform its func-
tion are discussed together with alterations of the hardening rate. The aller-
genic and toxic nature of epoxies and the chemicals used with them in the
industry create a hazard and precautions are detailed throughout the report.
ACI Committee Reports, Guides, Standard Practices, and
Commentaries are intended for guidance in designing, plan-
ning, executing, or inspecting construction and in preparing
specifications. References to these documents shall not be
made in the Project Documents. If items found in these
documents are desired to be a part of the Project Docu-
ments, they should be phrased in mandatory language and
incorporated into the Project Documents.
Leonard Pepper
Secretary
Raymond J. Schutz
George Selden
Frank Steiger
George W. Whitesides
Myles A. Murray
Secretary
Richard Montani
Richard B. Parmer
Hamid Saadatmanesh
W. Glenn Smoak
Joe Solomon
Michael M. Sprinkel
Robert J. Van Epps
D. Gerry Walters
Keywords: abrasion resistant coatings; abrasive blasting; acid treatment (con-
crete); adhesion; adhesives; aggregates; bonding; bridge decks; chemical analysis;
chemical attack; cleaning coatings: compressive strength; concrete construction;
concrete finishes (hardened concrete); concrete pavements; concretes; cracking
(fracturing); electrical properties; epoxy resins; flexural strength; floor toppings;
fresh concretes; grout; grouting; history; joints (junctions); metals; mix pro-
portioning; mixing; mortars (material); patching; plastics; polymers and resins;
popouts; repair; resurfacing; shrinkage; skid resistance; stairways; temperature;
tensile strength; underwater construction; waterproof coating; wood.
CONTENTS
Chapter 1 -- Introduction, pg. 503R-2
1.1 -- Background
1.2 -- General
1.3 -- Scope
Chapter 2 -- History of epoxies, pg. 503R-4
2.1 -- Origin of epoxies
2.2 -- Early attempts at using epoxies
2.3 -- Development of epoxy applications with concrete
2.4 -- Present status of epoxies
ACI 503R-93 supersedes ACI 503R-89 and became effective July 1, 1993.
copyright © 1993, American Concrete Institute.
All rights reserved including rights of reproduction and use in any form or by
any means, including the making of copies by any photo process, or by any elec-
tronic or mechanical devices, printed or written or oral, or recording for sound
or visual reproduction or for use in any knowledge or retrieval system or device,
unless permission in writing is obtained from the copyright proprietors.
503R-1 503R-2 ACI COMMITTEE REPORT
Chapter 3 -- Chemical and physical characteristics of
epoxy resins, pg. 503R-5
3.1 -- General
3.2 -- Adhesion properties
3.3 -- Susceptibility to chemical attack
3.4 -- Electrical properties
3.5 -- Abrasion resistance
3.6 -- Resilience
3.7 -- Creep
3.8 -- Thermal expansion
3.9 -- Exothermic reaction during cure
3.10 -- Curing and aging stresses
3.11 -- Thermosetting properties
Chapter 4 -- Uses of epoxy resins, pg. 503R-8
4.1 -- General
4.2 -- Protective coating
4.3 -- Decorative coating
4.4 -- Skid-resistant coating
4.5 -- Grout
4.6 -- Adhesive
4.7 -- Binder for epoxy mortar or concrete
4.8 -- Underwater application
4.9 -- Epoxy-modified concrete
Chapter 5 -- Preparing surfaces for epoxy compound
application, pg. 503R-10
5.1 -- General
5.2 -- Concrete surface evaluation
5.3 -- Removal of concrete for repairs
5.4 -- Surface preparation
5.5 -- Temperature conditioning
Chapter 6 -- Preparing epoxy compound and epoxy mix-
tures for use, pg. 503R-13
6.1 -- General
6.2 -- Temperature conditioning of material
6.3 -- Mixing and proportioning
6.4 -- Mixing
6.5 -- Cleaning of equipment
6.6 -- Caution of solvents and strippers
Chapter 7 -- Applying epoxy compounds, pg. 503R-16
7.1 -- General considerations
7.2 -- Specific applications
7.3 -- Underwater applications
Chapter 8 -- Hardening, pg. 503R-23
8.1 -- Rate of hardening
8.2 -- Adjusting the hardening rate
8.3 -- Opening the job to service
Chapter 9 -- Handling precautions, pg. 503R-24
9.1 -- General hazards
9.2 -- Safe handling
9.3 -- What to do in case of direct contact
9.4 -- Use of solvents
9.5 -- Education of personnel
Appendix A -- Test methods, pg. 503R-25
A.1 -- Field test for surface soundness and adhesion
A.2 -- Simplified field test for surface soundness
Appendix B -- Terminology, pg. 503R-28
CHAPTER 1 -- INTRODUCTION
1.1 -- Background
1.1.1
-- There are many characteristics of epoxies and
their uses which make them a desirable adhesive for use
with concrete. Some of these advantages are:
1.1.1.1 Adhesion
-- Epoxy resins have excellent ad-
hesive qualities and will bond to nearly all construction
materials. A few of the nonpolar thermoplastics such as
polyethylene, present adhesion problems and are excep-
tions.
1.1.1.2 Versatility
-- The wide range of available
physical and chemical properties of epoxy resin systems
makes their consideration requisite in any situation in-
volving repair, overlay, coating, or adverse environment,
of concrete. The variety of curing agents, extenders, dilu-
ents, fillers and other modifiers available to the formu-
lator permit the attainment of special characteristics for
any particular application.
1.1.1.3 Chemical resistance
-- Epoxies are resistant
to the attack of acids, oils, alkalies, and solvents.
1.1.1.4 Low shrinkage
-- Compared to other ther-
mosetting resins, epoxies have low autogenous shrinkage.
Formulations are available in which effective linear
shrinkage is as low as 0.001 percent.
1.1.1.5 Rapid hardening
-- At normal ambient tem-
peratures it is possible for a mixed resin and hardener
system to go from a liquid to a solid state in a matter of
several minutes, or the time can be extended several
hours by changing the system.
1.1.1.6 Moisture resistance
-- A thin coating of an
appropriate epoxy system can provide a high degree of
impermeability even when continuously inundated in
water. Some, though not all, epoxy materials absorb sig-
nificant amounts of water in a moist environment. Select
and use epoxy products (adhesives, coatings, mortars)
that have low water absorption. Water absorption will
not be a problem if the material has less than 1 percent
absorption as measured by ASTM D 570 and specified by
ASTM C 881.
1.1.2
-- The benefits of using epoxy resins are note-
worthy but caution must also be exercised. The following
discussion briefly summarizes some of the precautions
necessary:
1.1.2.1 Strain compatibility
1.1.2.1.1
Epoxy bonds very rapidly to a concrete
surface and within a short time may be considered as
monolithic. The autogenous shrinkage strains which take
place in some epoxy formulations during curing can cause
severe s