Paving the Way to Better Abrasion Resistance

A runway at a bustling airport. A crowded interstate traveled each year by millions of cars. A central bus terminal in a major city. These are just a few of the heavily trafficked, high-exposure places where constant abrasion can degrade the strength and longevity of concrete projects over time.

Wear and tear happens silently, every day. The surface of the cement paste that sits atop the coarse aggregate is concrete’s first layer of defense. But because it’s just a fraction of an inch, it gets scraped, battered, and stripped away. This exposes the underlying pore structure to water, air, and chemicals that begin eating away at the interior.

Surface wear and tear starts a process of degradation that weakens and can ultimately destroy that ramp, loading dock, roadway, and countless other concrete structures people and businesses depend on every day.

“Typically, adding more cement to concrete reduces its’ (modulus of) elasticity, causing structures to become more brittle.”

The Proven Path of Protection

While the problem is widespread, there is a way to significantly enhance abrasion resistance – EdenCrete’s nanotube technology. EdenCrete® typically improves abrasion resistance by 20% or more. EdenCrete® was included in the concrete mix used on a stretch of Georgia’s I-20 West. A performance test by the Georgia Department of Transportation found that adding EdenCrete® to the traditional mix increased the level of abrasion resistance by 56%.

Some try to fight abrasion by simply adding more cement or special aggregate to bolster roads, platforms, runways, and other projects. But adding more cement to concrete reduces its’ elasticity, causing structures to become more brittle.

Increased Protection and Elasticity

EdenCrete® strengthens without the need to add more cement. It increases elasticity and protects surfaces from the ravages of abrasion. In addition, carbon nanotubes have been proven to improve compressive, flexural, and tensile strength.

That’s why concrete with EdenCrete® is designed to effectively outlast other mix designs when it comes to the daily wear and tear of modern life. It all starts with superior abrasion resistance.