ABSTRACT
Repairs may be required at various stages in the life of a concrete element or structure. Rather than to simply repair a fault, however, it is advisable to make a serious study of the cause of the defect and take steps to avoid any recurrence. In certain cases, prevention is an integral part of the repair procedure, such as where steel is treated to avoid further corrosion. Where the defect arises from some other cause, such as bad detailing of the structure, necessary alterations must be carried out at the same time as the remedial work. Inprocess damage can be simply checked, instructions on a revised method of handling being issued to avoid further incidence of damage arising from form striking, unit handling and similar problems, or at least to reduce the likelihood of future damage. However, where, for example in a bridge deck, concrete elements are being damaged by aggressive salts percolating through the structure, the remedy will become more difficult to achieve. Early action on damage will reduce the cost of remedial work. Steps taken to revise methods can ensure that certain types of damage are limited to the earlier operations of a particular sequence, but it is important that the cause of the damage is clearly established and that information on avoidance of further damage is fed to the team producing the work. Equally important is the assurance that previous substandard work built to the same detail is corrected and repaired whilst suitable labour skills, access and equipment are still on site.
