REPAIRS AND REMEDIATION WORKS TO GRC/GFRC PRODUCTS ARE UNAVOIDABLE ACROSS A 40-60 YEAR SERVICE LIFE
Whilst factory damage will generally be corrected by the manufacturer any subsequent issues will be the responsibility of the main contractor or subsequently ultimate building owner/tenant.
Ultimately any post installation repairs or remediation work requires skilled craftsmen who have experience in working with this complex material.
Operating across the UK we offer specialist corrective action works to GRC/GFRC products all carried out by technicians who have been through our rigorous training programmes.
All our repair works have been fully developed in our own testing laboratories and are fully guaranteed to be as durable and long lasting as the original manufactured product.
FACING COAT REPAIRS
Most architectural products manufactured from GRC/GFRC will have an external facing coat which will typically be between 3-6mm thick dependent on the aggregates used within the matrix. This layer is not reinforced with fibres and dependent on the mix design will have have varying degrees of resistance to impact damage.
Unless the manufacturer has carried out compatibility tests with the structural GRC/GFRC differential movement caused by thermal contraction and volumetric expansion can develop unsightly crazing and cracking in the facing coat.
All of these are non-structural however it is important they are rectified as if water is allowed to penetrate the interface between the two different materials small sections can detach through environmental exposure.
Our facing coat repair methodologies have been developed over many years and are guaranteed to provide a bond between the original and remedial works that will remain unimpaired for the life of the unit.
Supported by our own in-house laboratory we can develop mixes that will replicate the weathered appearance of the original mix design
STRUCTURAL GRC/GFRC REPAIRS
Where the structural GRC/GFRC has been damaged due to impact the effect of the reinforcing fibres will generally limit propagation of cracking and repairs may be possible. This can offer significant cost and disruption over panels replacement
This however requires a careful assessment of the in-service stress a unit will be subjected to and determine if a repair is practical without compromising the structural capacity. Using the manufacturers finite element analysis or carrying out or own review (provided original fabrication details are available) we can consider imposed loads and then replicate both the repair and imposed loads in our laboratory.
Assuming this research confirms the practicality of the repair we can re-instate the the structural GRC/GFRC followed by our standard facing coat remediation.
BONDING PAD REPAIRS
Bonding pads are used in the GRC/GFRC industry to embed anchors into the manufactured product.
Occasionally bonding pad failure can occur. This is usually caused by the GRC/GFRC skin being allowed to begin its initial set before the pad is applied. Any failure of a bonding pad can be serious given in the event of detachment the imposed load will transfer to another anchor which may well be then overstressed etc.
Any detachment of pads during construction should be immediately referred to the manufacturer who will generally send their own teams to rectify. In the event however this isn’t possible due to distances, certifications etc. we can provide a rapid response allowing works to continue.
Please however note that whilst repair of bonding pads is generally acceptable we would not recommend repairs to no more than 10% of the pad population (PCI MNL 130-09).
Due to the function of bonding pads all repairs must be tested to ensure the rectification can withstand the applied load with an appropriate safety factor (recommend x 3)
RE-APPLICATION OF SURFACE SEALANT
Surface applied sealants are widely used in the GRC/GFRC industry however their importance is often overlooked. These products play a far more significant part in the delivery of durable GRC facades than has previously been understood.
As such any issues surrounding applied surface sealant should be addressed as quickly as possible and appropriate remediations undertaken.
Our teams can carry out either localised or full sealant application including pre-application treatment to clean/repair any fissures appearing in the facing coat
COLOUR HARMONISATION
Colour consistency is a constant running through the GRC/GFRC industry.
It is virtually impossible to obtain complete consistency irrespective of the mitigating methods used by different manufacturers. A robust sample approval process can ensure expectations of all stakeholders are clearly identified and agreed upon. However if this hasn’t been carried out colour harmonisation treatments can be used to satisfy all parties.
We have been involved with these treatments for nearly a decade with works completed as long ago as 2016 still looking as fresh as the day the treatment was applied. As with most similar processes good surface preparation is the key to success. We have invested heavily in state of the art equipment to test and prepare surfaces and carry out pre-start bond adhesion testing to ensure long life and durability without any ongoing maintenance issues.
SPECIALIST CLEANING SOLUTIONS
GRC/GFRC facades require little maintenance to maintain their as supplied appearance however where cleaning is considered of benefit we can offer specialist solutions developed specifically for GRC/GFRC products.
Our cleaning methodologies are all developed to meet international best practice and include removal of dirt, stains and efflorescence.
We use a variety of fully developed processes including dry brushing, high pressure jet washing, low pressure steam cleaning and where appropriate the use of chemical cleaning products.
Where aggressive methods are required to products that have had surface sealant previously applied we will carry out post treatment testing to validate the effectiveness of the sealant and, if necessary re-apply.
All our cleaning works can be carried out from MEWPs, BMUs or if required by abseiling technicians.