Steel-reinforced concrete is literally responsible for every city skyline in existence, but chlorides in the environment will eventually corrode and degrade the steel inside it. This causes the steel rebar or mesh inside concrete to corrode, severely diminishing the strength of a concrete structure. Before the steel corrodes, however, it also expands up to four times, causing cracks, stains, crazing and spalling.
DCI® S Corrosion Inhibitor chemically inhibits the corrosive action of chlorides on reinforcing steel and prestressed strands in concrete.
Chlorides can be found in soils, de-icing salts and in marine environments. Some examples or structures include parking garage decks and support structure, bridge decks and support members and coastal structures. Chlorides are also occasionally added to concrete during manufacture. DCI® S is recommended for any steel-reinforced concrete structure in these conditions.
DCI® is a corrosion inhibitor containing calcium nitrite, which deposits on the reinforcing steel to create a chemical barrier. This barrier delays the onset of corrosion, and prevents corrosion from accelerating once it starts. In sufficient quantity, DCI will maintain an active corrosion-controlling system within the concrete matrix throughout the lifetime of the structure.
DCI® S offers corrosion protection equal to DCI®, and is formulated for situations where accelerated concrete set times are not required or desired. Prestressed concrete applications, as well as warm or hot weather cast-in-place construction, are those most likely to benefit from this project.
A category creator at launch, DCI® is now the most validated corrosion inhibiting admixture in use. We offer reams of advice and support on the correct way to add DCI® or DCI® S to a concrete mix. In project after project, DCI® has been shown to work exactly as intended, protecting from corrosion and extending the service life of structures around the world. For more information on how to add DCI® or DCI® S to a building project, contact GCP today.
