Abstract
Coastal concrete is an integral portion of global infrastructure, which has connected civilizations throughout
time. Despite the long term use, there are several issues associated with physical and chemical attack of
concrete at ports and in coastal regions. The deterioration of the concrete is a result of the aggressive
environment including permeability, carbonation, chloride, and sulfide attack; ultimately resulting in cracked
concrete and corrosion in the reinforcing steel. The long term impact of this concrete deterioration on
Government and Private entities is an endless strain on asset maintenance and repair budgets. The purpose
of this paper and presentation is to showcase research that examined the novel use of hydrogel technology to
increase the service life of ports and coastal concrete structures. Hydrogels have been utilized in the field for
over twenty years to effectively manipulate the pore and void structure of deteriorated concrete to reduce the
number of pathways that allow migration of deleterious materials. Additionally, the rapid formation of the
hydrogel physically takes up space within any localized damaged areas inside the concrete to further prevent
percolation on the damaged concrete. To test the effectiveness of the hydrogel technology for maritime
infrastructure, the hydrogel concrete mixture was compared to a reference mixture. Ultimately it was shown in
both the laboratory and in a coastal environment that hydrogel technology can be used to extend the concrete
life of maritime structures and reduce the spending due to current concrete maintenance and repairs.
Keywords: Maritime, Hydrogels, Corrosion, Service-Life
Authors: Doug Hamlin, Mallory Westbrook, Martin Prestidge, and Jon S. Belkowitz
Australasian Coasts & Ports 2021 Conference – Christchurch, 30 November – 3 December 2021