Application of Fluid Applied Linings in

Concrete Secondary Containment Structures

Author:
Chris Ard
Technical Sales Manager
Tnemec Company, Inc.

Introduction

Current governmental regulations have mandated that a high number of concrete

structures, serving as secondary containment for chemical storage areas, are to receive
some type of protective lining. These linings serve two purposes: 1) They protect the
concrete substrate from chemical attack and physical abuse, and 2) They help to retain
chemicals that leak from their primary containment or are spilt during transfer,
preventing them from leaching through cracks or joints in the concrete and into the
ground soil below. These linings can be pre-fabricated liners or fluid applied polymeric
coatings and linings installed on-site.

This paper will focus on the application of polymeric coatings and linings, which include,
but are not limited to, polyamine and novolac epoxies and vinyl esters. These materials
are delivered to the job site in buckets or bags and are mixed and applied on-site, and it is
the responsibility of the owner, engineer and material supplier to determine the type of
material and coating system to specify for any particular project. This paper will
specifically address the application process of a mat-reinforced mortar system at
approximately 125 mils dry film thickness (DFT), including system application, areas to
be coated, concrete repair, surface preparation, joint and crack treatment, details and
coatings application.

Existing vs. New Concrete

Both new and existing concrete structures have their challenges. While erosion from
chemical attack and physical abuse are more of a concern for existing concrete, new
concrete has its own unique issues that must be dealt with. Although new concrete is
typically given the proper time to cure as required per ACI 318-05, this does not mean
that the residual water in the concrete has completely evaporated or that the concrete has
finished settling into its permanent space. Continued settling and shrinkage of the
concrete may cause further development of cracks even after the required 28 day cure
time.

It is also impossible to gauge whether the concrete could potentially have a continuous
and high moisture vapor transmission (MVT) rate since the concrete may still hold
residual water that has yet to react or be released through evaporation, thus skewing the
results of MVT testing. Assurance that a vapor barrier was properly installed prior to the
pour can greatly alleviate this concern.
Even with new concrete there could still be areas with imperfections in need of repair
prior to coating application. Fins, splatters and other protrusions should be ground
smooth. Abrasive blasting will expose depressions such as bug holes and honey combs,
and dependant upon the size of the area affected, either spot patching or resurfacing will
be required.

In existing concrete, both cracking and MVT can be readily identified. Cracks may be
visibly apparent once abrasive blasting is completed and MVT can be detected through
testing by either ASTM F-1869-04, “Standard Test Method for Measuring Moisture
Vapor Emission Rate of Concrete Sub-floor Using Anhydrous Calcium Chloride” or
ASTM F-2170, “Standard Test Method for Determining Relative Humidity in Concrete
Floor Slabs Using in situ Probes.”

Both eroded and/or destroyed concrete caused by physical abuse and corrosion from
chemical exposure will also be detectable. These areas will require further investigation
to determine the scope of damage and the necessary extent of the repair.

Small defects such as spalls, bug holes and hairline cracks will be exposed during the
surface preparation of the concrete substrate. These areas can then be filled through the
use of engineered cements or polymer patching materials. These same materials can also
be used for the repair of larger damaged areas; however, further preparation of these
areas may be necessary prior to patching such as removal of contaminated concrete or the
repair of and around rusted or damaged rebar. Repouring of curbs and shoulders as well
as areas in the floor may be necessary in extreme circumstances.

Surface Preparation

There are several viable options available when it comes to the surface preparation of
concrete. Water jetting, water blasting, wet abrasive blasting, dry abrasive blasting,
shotblasting and diamond grinding are the most common methods utilized. For the intent
of this paper, focus is placed on abrasive blasting, shot blasting and diamond grinding.

Per ICRI Guideline 03732, a surface profile of CSP 4 or greater will achieve a roughness
suitable for the application of the specific linings to be discussed in this paper. Although
ICRI references several different preparation techniques, it does not require that a
specific method must be performed. That is a decision to be made by either the project
engineer, coatings manufacturer or the contractor performing the work

Abrasive Sand Blasting

Sand blasting is a method commonly used to clean and profile the surface of both
concrete and steel. Since concrete is much softer than steel, the surface can be profiled at
much lower pressures (around 80 psi.) Proximity of the blasting nozzle to the substrate,
the blasting media being used, the condition of the concrete and how quickly the
contractor moves or “sweeps” the blast nozzle across the surface can all affect how
quickly the surface is blasted and how much profile is achieved. The profile should be
determined by an agreement between the project engineer, the material supplier and the
contractor doing the work based upon ICRI Guideline 03732. Abrasive blasting creates a
significant amount of dust and debris; therefore, proper protection should be worn by
both the applicator and any personnel in the immediate area.

Shot Blasting

While most contractors will abrasively blast both walls and floors, some may choose to
utilize another method for the horizontal surfaces due to the excessive amount of spent
media created by abrasive blasting. Shot blasting is the most commonly used method for
abrasively blasting horizontal concrete. The dust is self-contained through the use of a
vacuum system and the abrasive used is a steel shot that is reclaimed and reused
throughout the blasting process. A simple magnetic sweep of the floor removes any
unclaimed shot, making it a much cleaner blasting method.

Diamond Grinding

Small or hard to reach areas, such as the floor/wall transition, inside corners or
underneath existing equipment, can be abraded through the use of a hand held diamond
grinding. Attaining a surface profile by this method equal to or greater than a CSP2
should be required per ICRI guideline 03732.

Once the concrete has been thoroughly abraded, the contractor will then need to address
various conditions in the concrete substrate. As previously stated, all cracks, spalls and
general defects must be addressed as well as any control joints saw cut into the floor
during its placement. Terminations will also need to be addressed in the exposed
perimeters of the containment area.

Non-moving and Active Cracks and Joints

Many times it is nearly impossible to ascertain if a crack is static (non-moving) or active.

Some cracks develop during the placement and curing of the concrete and after time will
no longer move, becoming static. Others develop due to thermal cycling, tortional or
seismic movement, compressive forces from applied loads or vibration from traffic or
machinery. These cracks will continue to move throughout the life of the floor and must
be addressed accordingly.

Active joints, called expansion joints, account for any movement caused by
aforementioned physical dynamics and isolate two structural elements from one another.
Because these joints are considered active, they should not be overcoated. Instead, the
contractor should honor the joints by terminating the lining on either side of the joint, or
coating over it and then re-saw which cuts back through the lining and into the floor, thus
reopening the joint. Either way, once honored the joints should then be filled with the
appropriate joint filler. In the case of secondary containment, the joints should be filled
with an elastomeric, chemically resistant joint compound such as a polysulfide caulk.
Toolable or self-leveling grades of caulking may be used depending upon the contractor’s
desires.

Active cracks develop when the expansion joints are not adequate to handle the
movement in the floor. Many times these cracks will develop diagonally to a footing’s
outside corner. These cracks may be addressed in two different ways dependant upon
how wide the crack is and how much it moves.

Minimum or hairline movement of the crack may be addressed by routing out the crack
and then filling it with the appropriate flexible caulk. This should be performed after the
lining has been applied. If the owner wishes to not see the crack, a slip sheet method may
be employed. This method is performed by applying a non-adhering or bond breaking
material over the crack. The crack should first be cleaned out and filled with a mixture of
epoxy and fumed silica, forming a non-shrinking paste or mortar. The filler should be
allowed to cure to ensure the bond breaking material does not adhere to the wet filler.
Typical bond breakers include polyethylene tape or simple duct tape. Once the filler has
cured hard, the tape may be applied over the entire crack, followed by the lining
application over that. The theory behind this method is that the crack underneath the
lining will be able to move independently of the lining since it is not directly bonded to it
in that particular area.

Non-moving joints are referred to as contraction or control joints. These joints are
created by saw cutting the concrete to a depth of at least ¼ the thickness of the concrete
slab and ¼ the width. These joints create weak points in the concrete, allowing any
cracking due to shrinkage or settling to be controlled within these joints. Once the
concrete has fully cured, the control joints are no longer considered necessary.

Non-moving cracks are typically developed outside of the control joints during cure.
This happens from time to time when there is an insufficient amount of control joints cut
into the floor or if the concrete has shrunk excessively due to over-watering or rapid
curing in hot weather.

Both of these non-moving openings may be routed out, patched in with non-elastomeric
material such as 100% epoxy mixed with fume silica, and reinforced with fiberglass tape.
The paste should be of similar consistency to thick peanut butter. Once mixed, the
material can be pushed into the opening with a putty knife and struck flush to remove any
protruding, excess material. Fiberglass tape may then be applied over the crack and into
the wet filler, reinforcing the crack against movement. It should be noted that if the crack
experiences excessive movement, the fiberglass may tear and allow the crack to travel
through the lining.

Termination details

Various termination details should be utilized depending upon the design of the concrete
structure. Termination of the lining into trenches and exposed perimeters should be
detailed using key ways. Key ways are created by saw cutting a line in the concrete
where the lining will terminate and chip the concrete back approximately one inch, or in
the case of a drain, chip back from the where the flange of the drain is set flush into the
concrete. Both of these details produce a deep notch in the concrete and anchor the lining
into it, thus preventing the lining from chipping or peeling at the exposed termination.

Inside and outside corner details

When using fiberglass mats to reinforce a lining, detailing the inside and outside corners
will be necessary if the intent is to wrap the glass around them. Both inside and outside
corners are typically sharp 90° angles, making it difficult to wrap the fiberglass around or
into these transitions.

Wrapping the fiberglass through a 90° angled inside corner will cause gapping behind it
since the glass is somewhat ridged and will not lay completely into the corner. These
hollow spots should be cut out and repatched before the application of the next coat.

Wrapping the fiberglass over a 90° angled outside corner many times will cause
fiberglass hairs to pop up out of the mat, leaving strains of the fiberglass sticking out of
the coating. The frayed glass will have to be addressed after the lining dries through,
either by sanding or grinding before the next coat can be applied.

Obviously cutting the glass at these inside and outside corner is an option; however,
many secondary containment designs require the mat to be overlapped at the seams in
order to eliminate any unreinforced areas in the lining.

To detail the inside corners, a 1-2” cant cove should be installed. A cant cove can be
created by mixing a small amount of the mortar that will be used in the lining system.
The material should be applied in a bead along the inside corner and tooled into the shape
of a cant with a margin trowel. This will leave a 45° angle that the mat can then be
wrapped over without leaving gaps behind the glass. This can take place where the wall
or vertical face of the concrete meets the floor, or at the inside corner of two walls.

Outside corners are more difficult as they require grinding down the corners to eliminate
the 90° angle. It is recommended to address these edges in the design phase and require
the outside corners of the concrete to be bull nosed while being poured and placed.

Lining application

Attention to surface preparation, joint and crack treatment, and various details are vital to
the successful application of secondary containment linings.

Before discussing the application of these products, it is important to understand their

chemistry and how it affects their workability. Both epoxies and vinyl esters are highly
cross linking materials and are supplied as two-part, chemically reactive liquids. Once
mixed, the liquids immediately begin to react and crosslink. This chemical reaction
causes the material to have a relatively short pot life. Combined with the inherent
thickness of these types of resins, these materials can be much more difficult to apply
than a solvent based epoxy or a single-part acrylic, both of which are normally sprayed or
dipped from a bucket and then rolled.

Because the materials are chemically reacting with one another, energy is being
produced. This energy creates heat, and heat speeds up the reaction of the two. This
reaction becomes exponential in mass, making the pot life even shorter when the
materials are worked out of the containers in which they’ve been mixed. To alleviate this
problem on horizontal applications, the mixed material is typically dumped immediately
onto the area where it is to be installed and then quickly spread uniformly with a trowel
or squeegee. These tools are either flat or notched, depending on the specified thickness
of the coating.

When applying material vertically, it is impossible to pour the material onto the substrate.
Instead, small amounts are mixed at a time or several applicators share a large mix,
therefore shortening the amount of time the material is in the container.

Lastly, these types of materials develop their hardness rather quickly, thus shortening
their recoat window to around 24 hours. If the recoat window is missed, a thorough
abrading of the surface is required.

Close attention should also be paid to the temperature of the material, the surface to be
coated and the temperature of the surrounding air. Material temperature is the most
critical and should be between 65° to 80° Fahrenheit at the time of installation. Colder
material becomes thick and sticky, making it hard to apply, while warm material will
drastically reduce its pot life and can decrease working time.

In regards to temperature, once the concrete has been abrasively blasted the porosity in
the concrete will contain air. This air will expand or “outgass” in rising temperatures and
can cause pinholing or blisters in the lining system. When applying coatings in outside
applications or when interior spaces are not climate controlled, air temperatures should be
stable or descending during application. Also, if possible, the material should be applied
in shaded areas and not in direct sunlight during outside applications.

Next is the installation of the lining system. This application is a five-step process: 1)
primer, 2) base coat, 3) fiberglass application, 4) saturant coat and 5) finish coat. The
first four steps should be performed as a wet on wet application, which means that all
four steps should be take place on the same day. Again, with a multi-component material
it is necessary that all parties involved in the installation are ready to proceed once the
material is mixed. That means all rollers should be set up, spike shoes are already on and
areas to be protected are already masked. A mixing area should also be set up and the
material to be used should be stacked accordingly. Cutting the glass to the appropriate
lengths and opening the aggregate container should also be done ahead of time. Most
importantly, everyone involved should be aware of their role in each of the first four steps
of the system.
Since both walls and floors in secondary containment structures will be lined, the lining
system should first be applied to the vertical portion of the containment area. Addressing
the walls first allows for installation of the lining system while working on uncoated
concrete. If the flooring were to be done first, the wall application could expose the
flooring system to potential damage by the applicator. Floors could be protected by
covering them with plastic or felt, but this is unnecessary and can be avoided if the walls
are addressed first.

The first step in the application process is the primer. The material should be mixed per
the manufacturer’s instructions, either in small amounts at a time or split amongst a
number of applicators. The material should be dipped and rolled onto the wall at
approximately 160 to 200 sqft per gallon. This can vary depending upon the
aggressiveness of the profile. At a typical temperature of 75° Fahrenheit, the material
should be used within 15 to 20 minutes of mixing.

As the wet primer begins to tack up, the 60 mils DFT base coat can be mixed and applied.
Per the manufacturer’s recommendation, the part A and B liquids should be mixed, and
while under agitation the part C filler should slowly be sifted into the mixed liquids and
blended until thoroughly combined. The material should then be scooped out onto a
mortar hawk or directly onto the floor in front of the wall to be coated. With the use of a
flat trowel, the material can be pulled up the wall and spread at a uniform thickness of
approximately 60 mils DFT. Once evenly applied, the glass should be laid into the base
coat on the wall. It is important to remember there is a cant at the bottom of the wall and
the glass may be applied over it as well. The glass should then be smoothed into place
with a metal ribbed roller or a wide drywall knife, the purpose of which is to smooth out
any imperfections and ensure full contact of the glass with the base coat, making sure no
voids are left between the two.

The same resin used to build the base coat can then be used to fully saturate the front
surface of the fiberglass. To do this, the appropriate amount of liquids should be mixed,
leaving out the part C filler. Splitting the material amongst multiple applicators, the
saturant coat should then be applied with napped rollers. The glass should appear
thoroughly and evenly wetted out; however, there should be a minimal amount of film
build of the saturant coat as overbuilding the saturant coat can result in sags and runs on
the surface of the saturated glass.

All four applications should be properly terminated into any keyways that have been cut
into the substrate for termination purposes.

The system should be allowed to cure overnight. The next day, the surface of the system
should be dry and hard with random glass fibers sticking out of the coating. These
should then be sanded down prior to application of the topcoat.

There are two ways to proceed after the first four steps have been completed. The wall
can be lightly sanded to knock down any fiberglass and then finished with a topcoat, or
the four-step process may be repeated and applied to the horizontal surface. The latter
allows for the topcoat to be applied at the same time to both the floors and walls,
providing a more uniform finish. This process, however, would typically cause the 24
hour recoat window to be missed, thus requiring a thorough sanding of the entire vertical
surface.

Once the applicator is ready to apply the topcoat, the material should be mixed and
applied vertically as was done with the primer and saturant coat. However, once the
lining has cured hard on the floor and can be walked on, the topcoat may be ribboned out
of the container it was mixed in and spread uniformly across the floor. Wearing spiked
shoes, the applicator can then walk out into the wet topcoat and backroll the material.
This will ensure there are no squeegee lines left in the coating, and also that the topcoat is
consistent in thickness and coverage.

Following these preparation, repair, detail and application guidelines will ensure a
properly placed, well-adhered lining that provides years of protection for the secondary
containment concrete structure. In order to insure these guidelines are met, constant
communication between all aforementioned parties is of the utmost. If the project is
driven through the specification process, many of these details can be address early in the
design phase of the project and included in the execution portion of the architect or
engineer’s specification.