Page 12 - AASBO The EDGE Summer 2022

There Can Be More Damage Than Meets the Eye
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

adversely affected the integrity of the post, creating a Whether due to irrigation or rainfall, water enters
significant failure hazard. Railing failures can occur the soil and dissolves chlorides or sulfates deposits
due to corrosion of a metal post embedded in the or the residue of chemical fertilization, or sometimes
concrete or spalling of concrete adjacent to the post. both. Unless a foundation is totally isolated by a thick
Guardrails can and will fail. What could be viewed as plaster membrane with no holes or punctures and is
a simple issue, can be a major life safety issue. raised all the way to the top of the foundation above
the soil, the soil gets into the concrete. It dissolves a
Chlorides accelerate corrosion, and once the portion of the cement matrix and forms new crystal
embedded steal or rebar corrodes it effectively cannot deposits inside the concrete, causing initial cracks.
be stopped. The rusting steel occupies up to six times This continues until the concrete is compromised.
the volume and literally breaks the concrete apart,
spalls occur, resulting in chunks of concrete falling Some believe we only have two seasons – hot and
off. If not caught early enough, the integrity of the hotter. However, at night the temperature drops and
structure is compromised. during the day the sun heats the concrete surfaces
drawing moisture up through the concrete all day.
Soils can have corrosive levels of chemicals in them. That causes crystals to form onto exterior edges,
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Water, Fire & Vandalism Restoration

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Mold, Asbestos & Lead Abatement
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12 THE EDGE SUMMER 2022