One of the most important aspects of a successful concrete repair project is the quality of the concrete surface preparation. In the end, most concrete repairs fail due to poor concrete surface preparation. All unsound concrete must be removed to create a rough, clean, irregular profile that is completely free from micro-fractures to ensure that the new concrete will bond properly.

Hydrodemolition has proven itself to be one of the most effective methods for concrete preparation to create the ideal surface for bonding. So, how does hydrodemolition work and what advantages does it entail?

Surface preparation with hydrodemolition

When removing concrete using hydrodemolition, the cement matrix is removed from the aggregate, leaving bulk debris of sand and aggregate to be collected and disposed of. Once the debris has been removed from the hydrodemolished surface, some detail chipping may at times be required to remove any stubborn concrete that remains.

To complete the concrete preparation, final cleaning is often necessary to clean the surface of any bulk debris or slurry that could inhibit a good bond with the new concrete. Afterwards, any standing water needs to be removed before the concrete surface will be ready to accept a new overlay or patch material. Remember that sandblasting of the rebar is not required since the hydrodemolition process completely cleans all the exposed reinforcing steel.

Advantages of hydrodemolition concrete preparation and removal

Hydrodemolition presents numerous advantages when it comes to concrete preparation and removal including:

Does not cause any micro-cracks in the remaining structure, thus ensuring the repair will be long-lasting and of high-quality.
Allows for both selective and non-selective removal of concrete and other materials.
Creates no vibrations and dramatically reduces the amount of noise and dust during the removal process.
Keeps the rebars clean and intact, sparing you the time and effort of sandblasting the reinforcing steel.
A Conjet hydrodemolition robot is ~25x faster than mechanical jackhammering.
Prepares a surface ideal for bonding between old and new concrete with a rough, clean, irregular profile.

As in the case of any concrete restoration project, proper planning and execution is key to a successful outcome. In conclusion, the quality of a hydrodemolished surface can be far better for bonding with new concrete than a surface prepared using traditional methods such as concrete breakers. The same benefits of hydrodemolition for concrete preparation can be achieved regardless of whether the concrete removal is on a horizontal, vertical, or overhead surface.

Read more about the advantages of using hydrodemolition equipment for concrete preparation.

Achieve high-quality concrete preparation enabled by hydrodemolition with Conjet

Experience efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable concrete preparation using the Conjet ACR™ robots. They offer advanced surface solutions to quickly and safely remove coatings, rust, and other tough adherents. The surface preparation technologies we provide gives you the same productivity without the expense, hazards, and accompanying clean-up problems of traditional methods.