Torres Blancas, Spain: Corrosion stopped effectively

A corrosion-inhibiting impregnator from Master Builders Solutions saved the owners of the Torres Blancas holiday apartment complex in the Spanish Mediterranean a lot of time and money during a recent renovation.

The residential complex “Torres Blancas” was built in the early 1970s, right on the beach of Playa de San Juan, Alicante, in the south of Spain. Large areas of its facade are covered with white concrete panels – each with a thickness of four centimeters – which are not only design elements, but also serve to protect the building core from direct sunlight. After 40 years in the salty coastal climate, the concrete panels have suffered severe damage. In some places, the concrete reinforcement was completely corroded due to chloride contamination, making a complete replacement seemingly inevitable. However, the planner in charge was not satisfied with this, as the reinforcement was still intact in parts.

Renovation instead of complete replacement

He wanted a renovation solution that would permit some of the concrete elements to be retained. His inquiry to the Master Builders Solutions team in Spain proved him right. For those panels that could be saved, the experts suggested treatment with MasterProtect 8000 CI – a reactive, silane-based corrosion inhibitor. MasterProtect 8000 CI enhances the passivation of the reinforcement steel and prevents anodic and cathodic reactions. By means of this, the reinforcement steel remains durably protected against chloride-induced corrosion despite those chlorides already present in the concrete. The application process is straightforward: MasterProtect 8000 CI is a clear fluid that is simply sprayed onto the concrete. 

Field tests confirm effectivity

The planner still had two questions, however: Would the product be able to penetrate the required three centimeters of concrete to reach the reinforcement steel? And how can one make sure a sufficient quantity of the clear fluid had been applied? The first question was addressed by means of a field test, which dispelled any concerns as to the depth of penetration. The EB team then quickly came up with an answer to the second question: They dyed the product using a pink, non-UV-resistant pigment. In this way, the applicators could easily see where sufficient amounts of the product had already been applied, the color of which completely vanished only a few days after application. Once the original color of the concrete became visible again – having taken on a somewhat grayish appearance over the years – the entire concrete surface was finally given a new coat of white paint with the MasterSeal 325 E protective concrete coating.

Shorter construction time, lower costs, satisfied customers

The owners of the Torres Blancas holiday apartments were more than satisfied with the solution: Far fewer concrete panels required replacement than originally planned, thereby shortening construction time by several weeks and lowering renovation costs by 40 percent compared with those estimated for complete substitution. Moreover, the effective corrosion protection serves to stretch future renovation cycles, which results in additional substantial savings across the service life of the building. This successful renovation did not go unnoticed by neighbors. As well as any project with similar challenges they can also benefit from this solution, which is now tested and proven.