The term aluminosis refers to a fairly common pathology suffered by a material such as concrete. Said pathology or disease consists of a significant deterioration suffered by said concrete in works that have used luminous cement for its preparation.
It usually occurs especially in the beams used to raise buildings. These beams are what keep the building standing, hence the speed of dealing with such a concrete problem. Aluminosis causes the concrete to become less resistant and weaker with all the danger that this entails, especially in what refers to the stability of the building in question.
There is increasing risk and danger that many buildings end up suffering from aluminosis. This is mainly due to the presence of humidity, particularly in rooms of the house such as the bathroom or kitchen. The so-called concrete disease is quite dangerous since it affects the structure of buildings since they remain totally solid.
Damage caused by aluminosis
There are a number of damages that aluminosis will cause:
- The concrete becomes much less resistant and loses a large volume.
- Said material suffers from high porosity.
- The pH of the concrete makes it drop more than normal. This means that it suffers greater corrosion.
- There is a significant lack of adherence of concrete with steel.
- The depth of carbonation in the concrete must be observed at all times, to know if the aluminosis has affected the armor or not. If the concrete's own reinforcement has not been reached, the damages are not important. If, on the other hand, the aforementioned carbonation affects the reinforcements, the damages are serious and may cause cracks or certain detachments in the entire structure.
How to make a diagnosis of aluminosis
Before making an optimal diagnosis it is important to discover if the cement used is aluminous, if the structure suffers from aluminosis or if the concrete presents a series of pathologies.
- To see if the cement is aluminous, you have to look at its color. If the color is brown then the cement is aluminous.
- You have to look carefully if the structure of the building shows unusual cracks, fissures, or rust spots.
- It is important to check if the concrete used is carbonated or on the contrary it is not.
- The corrosion rate of concrete it is key when observing if the material is affected by aluminosis.
How to treat aluminosis
Once a diagnosis of the building has been made and it has turned out that it suffers from aluminosis, it is important to start an adequate treatment of it. It may happen that there is no type of corrosion but the concrete has undergone some transformation. In this case, it is necessary to avoid that the material undergoes sudden changes in humidity and thus stop the aluminosis process.
If it is observed that the cement of the concrete has not been completely transformed, it is possible that with the passage of time significant oxidation appears throughout the structure. To avoid this, it is important to keep the environment as dry as possible. Moisture is only going to cause oxidation to go further. If various fissures and cracks have been observed along with the appearance of rust stains, It should be checked whether the corrosion of the concrete is only one part or is generalized.
Once the structure of the building has been thoroughly observed, it will be dealt with in the most appropriate way possible. You can choose to reinforce the structure and put new materials that maintain it without any problem or if the damage is irreversible, demolishing the building.
How to prevent aluminosis
In addition to proper treatment, there are different methods to prevent aluminosis in buildings. The most effective are water-repellent impregnations and applying various coatings to concrete to protect it from external agents such as humidity or rain. What should be clear at all times is that in the case of appreciating aluminosis in a certain part of the building or house, it is essential to call a professional on the subject that helps to solve this pathology of the concrete.
Ultimately, aluminosis is a common problem in a material such as concrete. In a large part of the cases, this type of concrete disease is due to the action of certain external agents such as humidity. It is important to be able to treat it in time, since otherwise the structure of a building with this pathology could be in serious danger. With the passage of time, the aluminosis can increase and cause the collapse of the structure.