Products
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5/4/2023
A product system for jointless floors
Mapecrete System allows to obtain concrete surfaces with high dimensional stability, eliminating or reducing contraction joints.
Mapecrete System allows to obtain concrete surfaces with high dimensional stability, eliminating or reducing contraction joints
A complete system with a synergic effect
Concrete is, by its very nature, subject to hygrometric shrinkage which is often one of the main causes of cracking in an industrial floor. To control this phenomenon, it is crucial that contraction joints are included in a floor in order to improve its durability and guarantee its service life.
To eliminate cracking induced by shrinkage, and weak points in general, in 2003 Mapei developed MAPECRETE SYSTEM, a solution that makes it possible to obtain concrete with high dimensional stability and create shrinkage-compensated industrial floors, without including contraction joints. Compensating for shrinkage enables contraction joints to be avoided up to a pitch size of 1,000 m2, or even more.
The system is based on the principle that shrinkage in volume may be compensated for by expansion in volume appropriately contrasted by structural strengthening. This effect is achieved by combining different products working in synergy.
MAPECRETE SYSTEM is a modular system and is applied by combining four products which, if added at appropriate dosage rates, control shrinkage in concrete and prevent the formation of cracks:
- an acrylic-based super-plasticising admixture from the DYNAMON FLOOR range to achieve a low water/cement ratio and high workability;
- an expansive agent from the EXPANCRETE range for shrinkage-compensated concrete: when added to the mix, it reacts with the mixing water and increases its volume;
- MAPECURE SRA liquid admixture to reduce hygrometric shrinkage in concrete;
- structural synthetic and steel fibers from the MAPEFIBRE range;
- MAPECRETE SYSTEM exploits the synergic effect of each single component to increase the expansive effect of concrete during the first phase of curing and reduce the effect of shrinkage during the second phase, thereby preventing the formation of cracks and obtaining concrete that is dimensionally stable.
Application and advantages
MAPECRETE SYSTEM is a flexible system and may be adapted to suit various types of application. Apart from industrial floors, it may also be used for multi-storey carparks, pre-cast concrete structures, sport courts, road decks and piles for viaducts, via-duct slabs, hydraulic works. etc. The system offers numerous technical and economic advantages, such as:
- drastic reduction in hygrometric shrinkage;
- resistance to shrinkage-induced cracks;
- control of curling effect;
- elimination of contraction joints;
- elimination of costs for maintenance work on contraction joints and better flatness;
- rapid installation;
- the possibility of eliminating steel meshes.
Industrial floors made using the MAPECRETE SYSTEM can be treated with various surface finishing systems, as you can read in a dedicated article in this issue of the magazine.
The use of surface hardeners, consolidating impregnators, thixotropic water-repellents and anti-stain products is an optional, but becomes a necessary component when looking to complete the system in order to achieve the maximum levels in terms of quality and performance.
