Hydrodemolition
For certain concrete repair projects, STRUCTURAL, an exclusive licensee of Structural Technologies, offers hydrodemolition services to improve schedule and enhance quality.
Hydrodemolition uses high-velocity water jets to remove deteriorated, delaminated, or contaminated concrete from reinforced concrete structures such as bridges, dams and parking garages. Concrete is removed using ultra-high pressure (UHP – 35,000 psi) waterjets operating at velocities exceeding 1,500 mph. Using UHP water, the hydrodemolition process requires significantly less water than lower pressure systems, while providing ultra-high quality hydrodemolition. The use of less water helps protect the environment and conserve a valuable resource. Because no abrasive is used, the waterjets do not damage the reinforcing steel or other embedded metal items.
Types of Concrete Removal
- Scarification
- High-speed Scarification
- Fast-track Total Surface Hydrodemolition
- Partial Depth
- Deep Removal
- Full Depth
- High Strength Concrete Removal
- Dry Hydrodemolition
Benefits of Hydrodemolition
Hydrodemolition provides an excellent bonding surface, free from micro-fractures as well as many other benefits. Hydrodemolition is both an effective and efficient way to quickly remove deteriorated concrete and prepare the surface for the installation of a new concrete overlay or repair material.
Computer-controlled waterjets can remove the concrete to provide a rough and bondable surface (Scarification, High-Speed, Fast Track Hydrodemolition). Bond tests have proven that a monolithic slab is formed when new concrete is place over a surface prepared using hydrodemolition.
- The rough, irregular surface profile provides an excellent mechanical bond for all types of repair materials creating a monolithic repair
- The rough, irregular profile contains more surface area per square foot than any other type of concrete removal process
- Eliminates possibility of surface micro-fracturing (bruising) caused by traditional demolition methods
- Exposed aggregates are not fractured, split or damaged
- Reinforcing and other embedded metal elements are undamaged
- Robotic equipment insures uniform removal
- Lower strength and deteriorated concrete (delamination) is selectively removed
- Vibration to the surrounding structure is eliminated
- Minimizes disruptions to users of occupied space by significantly reducing transmitted sound vibrations through the structure
- Reinforcing steel (rebar) is cleaned, eliminating the need for sandblasting
- Increase speed of concrete removal, which can reduce construction time
- Minimizes dust and the potential for silicosis
- Robotic units reduce labor and minimize soft-tissue injuries compared to manual demolition