Levantamento de manifestações patológicas em reservatórios de concreto armado no município de Alegrete/RS

Abstract

Pathological manifestations are common in any type of structure, some of them are visible to the naked eye and some other are hidden from the observer. These anomalies may compromise the safety and functionality of the structure, and in case of reinforced concrete, some pathologies may not be repaired, damaging the edification irreversibly. For reinforced concrete reservoirs, if the structure presents problems that may harm its functionality, both the company responsible for its construction and the people depending on its service may be affected. This work has the goal to investigate pathological manifestations of reinforced concrete reservoirs located in Alegrete - RS. Photographic material was collected by a conventional camera, and, beyond that, digital thermography techniques were used for the identification of hidden pathological anomalies. Passive thermography was used considering only solar energy. Based on the images captured by a conventional camera and the thermograms we may conclude that the most common pathologies in this type of structure are: fissures (especially horizontal, vertical and mapped), stains caused by mold and fungi, reinforcement corrosion and surface humidity. Based on the thermographic images we are able to see the spots with the highest concentration of fissures with the highest temperatures and some spots where the temperatures are the lowest and the location of the humidity concentration. After the analysis and diagnosis of the pathologies we conclude that this type of reservoir may not be the best alternative for this specific region for most of the pathological manifestations are caused by the high thermal variation which occurs through the year, making this constructive system to fail, and the structure will demand repairs more frequently than would with different material.