Introduction:

Buildings and other structures have a certain useful life, which depends on the
specifications adopted. The large number of monuments, which are cherished heritage
structures have stood well over a period of time. But some of these have shown signs of
distress due to

age,
aggressive natural environment
Industrial pollution etc.
Further, distress gets aggravated due to

overloading
Misuse of buildings.
Thus, Repairs & Rehabilitation of buildings are of vital importance.
Reinforced cement concrete (RCC) as a construction material has come into use for the
last one century. In India, RCC has been used extensively in the last 50-60 years. During this
period, we have created large number of infrastructural assets in terms of buildings, bridges,
sports stadium etc., which are lifeline for the civilized society. These have been created with
huge investment of resources. We cannot even dream of recreating such assets out of limited
national resources. It is, therefore, essential to maintain them in functional condition. Since,
deterioration of RCC is a natural phenomenon and has started exhibiting in large number of
structures; a systematic approach is needed in dealing with such problems.
Identification of the causes of deterioration and consequent repair/rehabilitation strategy
at optimum cost needs a scientific evaluation and solution.
It has been observed that the deterioration phenomena of RCC are not realized by
majority of practising civil engineers. As a result, the factors considered necessary for
durability of RCC buildings are many times not given due importance during construction
and/or during maintenance.
Initially, the structures deteriorate slowly due to cyclic temperature variations,
overloading, physical causes & aggressive chemical attack due to environment etc. Later on,
if not paid due attention, these deteriorate rapidly and fail to meet the functional requirement
for its designed service life. Various causes of deterioration like original construction defects,
chloride induced corrosion, carbonation of concrete, sulphate attack, cracking due to thermal
gradient, plastic shrinkage cracks and foundation settlement etc.
The first step in repairs and rehabilitation is the proper diagnosis for successful
rehabilitation works with Non Destructive Evaluation (NDE) techniques, laboratory tests and
Condition Survey Techniques. Many tests have been enumerated for measurement of different
properties and are grouped in four categories as given below:
a) Corrosion of embedded steel,
b) Concrete quality, durability and deterioration,

c) Concrete Strength
d) Structural Integrity
Commonly used tests for Non Destructive Evaluation (NDE) are Rebound hammer test,
Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) test, Capo / Pull out test, Core test, Chloride test,
Carbonation test, pH measurement, Resistively test, Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA), etc.
The next step is analysis and design of repairs, which are quite different from the original
design. For this purpose, repairs have been classified as active or passive depending upon the
relieving or non-relieving of existing stresses & strains before carrying out the repairs.
The compatibility of repair material with the parent material is an essential requisite for
successful repairs. Cements, admixtures, additives, polymers and epoxies is to be studied in
detail specifying wide and varied application with their advantages as well as limitations.
The methods available for repair, rehabilitation and retrofitting are many. Selection of
method from various repair options available to suit the performance requirement of repair
system is to be ascertained. These generally cover concrete, RCC structural members like
slabs, beams, columns, and foundations, repairs of cracks, strengthening of masonry, surface
protection, reinforcement etc.
Repair Management

Three distinct stages are to be recognized while taking up a repair job.

The first stage involves documentation of damage, its type and extent, prognosis of
repaired structure and recommendations on repair methodology. For major jobs it will be
worth while to engage an independent consultant to do this job.
The second stage requires preparation of detailed drawings, sketches, execution
guidelines and notes, material and works specifications and tender document. The tender
document should adequately cover various elements to the extent possible. Specific
provisions in terms of material specifications should be included. It should clearly define
modalities of payment, works measurements and records. This will facilitate in receiving a
fair and competitive proposal for the repair works. Guidelines prepared for executing the job
should be practical and flexible so as to encourage the ingenuity of the contractor executing
the job.
The third stage is actual execution of repairs. This is a specialised job and those who have
the necessary expertise and resources in terms of tools and plants should be engaged. The
supervising engineer should have a good understanding of the procedures and give an
attentive supervision. In some cases it may become necessary to monitor the effectiveness of
repairs by various tests before and after the repairs have been executed.
Various options in terms of techniques and repair materials are available for executing
repair jobs. Selecting a most appropriate material and repair methodology is very important to

achieve durable, effective and economic repairs. Matching the response of repaired sections
with the main structure is an important task. Compatibility of materials and matching
specifications are essential in any repair job. Just as building durable construction requires
understanding of structural engineering, material science, and environment/ exposure
conditions, repair jobs also require the same level of attention in these areas.
The buildings taken up for repair may have structural deficiency and in such cases it is
necessary to consider provisions for strengthening through bracing and creating alternative
load transfer framing to give additional reserve strength to the structure for adequate safety
and serviceability.