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You are most welcome to browse our Frequently Asked Questions segment.

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  1. How deep does Radcon penetrate?

  2. What happens if the concrete cracks after achieving a watertight treatment applying Radcon?

  3. How does Radcon prevent salts and other contaminants from reaching the steel reinforcements?

  4. Where should you not use or apply Radcon to concretes?

  5. In terms of the Radcon warranty what defines a stable crack compared to a working or moving crack?

  6. If it has been raining how do I know the concrete is dry enough to treat?

  7. What happens if the product is not watered in to specification?

  8. What happens if it rains during a Radcon application?

  9. How do you know you are applying sufficient product during spraying?

  10. What durability improvements are achieved applying Radcon to concrete?

  11. What water pressure will Radcon handle prior to failure?

  12. What life expectancy can be expected from Radcon waterproofed concrete incorporating the Radcrete System approach?

  13. What effects do temperatures have on Radcon’s sealing performance and re-sealing capabilities?

  14. Can coatings be placed over Radcon?

  15. Can Radcon damage building materials?

  16. Will Radcon harm the environment?

  17. Is Radcon suitable to waterproof all concretes?

  18. Is Radcon similar to a crystal growth product?

  19. Are there similar products to Radcon amongst other silicate based materials?

  20. How does Radcon compare to sealer materials such as silanes, siloxanes and methylmythacrylates?

  21. If Radcon is the miracle product how come it hasn’t been brought out by some global giant?

  22. Is Radcon compatible with other waterproofing products used as expansion joints or penetrations detailing etc.?

  23. What happens if one places asphalt over Radcon treated concretes?

  24. How resistant is Radcon treated concrete to strong acid and alkali applications?

  25. What happens if a leaking crack continues to leak after a Radcon application?

  26. What sort of equipment is required to apply Radcon onto concrete?

  27. What happens if we Radcon treat concrete which has unstable working cracks due to structural volatility; structural failure?

  28. Will Radcon prevent Radon gas emissions through basement and bunker areas?

  29. Will Radcon change the appearance of concrete either after application or in the long term?

  30. How soon can Radcon be applied to concrete?

  31. How should concrete be cured prior to Radcon application?

  32. What is the shelf life of Radcon?

  33. Do you have to do the second and third waterings?

  34. Can Radcon be applied where other sealer materials have been used previously?

  35. What would be a generic specification for the Radcon technology in tender documents?

  36. Can you use Radcon on an existing topping slab which leaks?

  37. Does Radcon promote fungal growth (mould) on treated concrete?

  38. Does Radcon attract dirt or air borne pollutants onto treated concrete?

  39. Does a Radcon treatment cause accelerated corrosion or other damage to steel reinforcements?

  40. From a global perspective how does Radcon waterproofing compare with other certified waterproofing technologies on price?

  41. How does an end user purchase Radcon for their site requirements?

  42. Is Radcon suitable for waterproofing pre-cast panels and pre-cast elements?

  43. Apart from a Radcon waterproofed low cost end result, does the product deliver other tangible construction benefits?

  44. Has Radcon had any failures?

  45. Does Radcon entrap moisture in concrete?

  46. How is Radcon Formula # 7 in preventing fuel, oils and grease penetrating concrete and do these materials adversely effect Radcon product performance?

  47. What effect, if any does Radcon have on the bonding ability of cementitious materials?

  48. Is Radcon Formula # 7 sulphate resistant?

  49. Can Radcon Formula # 7 be used in a negative pressure situation?

  50. Can Radcon Formula # 7 be applied over a crystalline growth product which has failed?

  51. Can Radcon Formula # 7 waterproof cold or pour joints without using Waterstop or other detailing work?

  52. Radcon relies on free soluble calcium within concrete to create its watertight chemical reaction What can you do on very old slabs, which have leaked for many years leading to all soluble calcium being depleted?

  53. Radcon has been applied to specification and a total seal is confirmed. Some months of the dry weather occurs after application and when it rains some cracks begin to leak.

  54. If Radcon product becomes frozen in drums does this destroy the efficacy/performance of the product?

  55. Patching Mortars; if we are doing remedial repairs where hacking out necessitates patching with a mortar material what should be done?

  56. “Enclosed Areas” – What precautions should be taken if Radcon spraying in enclosed areas such as water tanks?

  57. Does Radcon promote or exacerbate AAR - Alkali Aggregate Reaction or ASR - Alkali Silica Reaction?

 

 


1. How deep does Radcon penetrate?

Radcon penetrates as deep as it needs to, in order to achieve a sub-surface seal, self-repairing internal membrane in cementitious concretes.
Radcon in the field has shown 60 mm + penetration in 140 year old soft sand/lime mortars between sandstock bricks.
The result a mortar material more durable than the original product.
Radcon has tests showing 14mm to 17 mm average penetration in 40 m.p.a. highway grade concretes (CSIRO).
And further NATA supported material laboratory testing showing average 20 mm penetration in 32mpa concrete (Warnock Hersey)

2. What happens if the concrete cracks after achieving a watertight treatment applying Radcon?

Providing the concrete is cementitious in nature (calcium leaching prone) we have University documented evidence showing one off settlement cracks up to 1.00mm occurring without actual water egress from the underside of the slab (University of New South Wales)
As this one off settlement took place, during rain periods Radcon was growing as the crack itself grew.
This is further evidenced in Earthquake zones of Taiwan, Saipan, (Newcastle Australia).
Earthquakes dislodged Radcon sealed concrete sites allowing some leakage through already present cracks.
Rainwater itself allowed repair to take place within a couple of days, so no remedial repairs were required.
In essence Radcon remains re-active in concrete repairing any future cracks or tears providing the concrete has free calcium and wetting periods for re-growth.

3. How does Radcon prevent salts and other contaminants from reaching the steel reinforcements?

Radcon uses water to waterproof in the same way Volclay (volcanic bentonite clay) reacts.
Only instead of being on the surface Radcon is creating the same barrier within the first few millimeters of Radcon penetrated concrete.
Given that tests confirm 14mm to 17 mm product penetration in 40 m.p.a. concrete, any water or salts penetrating the first 2-3 mm is of no concern to the structures lifetime durability given any reinforcement maintains 20mm + concrete top cover.

4. Where should you not use or apply Radcon to concretes?

Radcon when applied requires capillary suction into dry concrete prior to the application watering procedure.
Therefore Radcon cannot be applied to wet concrete be it simply damp or have water permeating through. Crystal growth materials are better suited to these applications (Radmyx).
Radcon should not be applied on any concrete surfaces where the general matrix and/or cracks present have been contaminated with water repellent materials.
Obviously if water cannot absorb in then neither can Radcon so its chemical reaction with cementitious concretes is impeded.
Radcon is generally suited to all “ABOVE GRADE” applications including all water holding vessel applications.

5. In terms of the Radcon warranty what defines a stable crack compared to a working or moving crack?

Unfortunately when builders construct structurally volatile sites and they begin to leak it is the waterproofing supplier first in the firing line.
There are some very simple observations and trials which can be helpful before the University experts with their potentiometres are brought in.
For example either side of a working crack usually causes a fretting at the edges where small chips of concrete crack away.
If in doubt a simple test is to epoxy some glass microscope slides either side of the crack and monitor.
For example a car park when driven over may crack the slide demonstrating volatility.
Furthermore a building roof may be volatile moving between wet and dry weather periods.
Again this sort of activity should crack the glass indicating structural volatility.

6. If it has been raining how do I know the concrete is dry enough to treat?

Providing the surface is visually dry, ie no visual damp spots, Radcon may be applied. If Radcon is applied to wet concrete or concrete with damp spots, then Radcon will not be absorbed in through capillary action.

This means that any damp spots treated with Radcon would simply see the product "not absorb" and wash away during the first watering procedure.

7. What happens if the product is not watered in to specification?

When Radcon is applied and becomes touch dry (2-6 hours) a first watering is absolutely critical for Radcon to become lifetime active.
The second and thirds specified waterings are to allow sufficient product expansion inside the concrete to seal both the matrix and cracks present.

8. What happens if it rains during a Radcon application?

It is critical that Radcon has absorbed into the concrete through capillary action usually indicated by becoming touch dry before watering.
Should rain fall on wet Radcon it must be assumed that re-treatment will be required once the concrete has become dry once again.

9. How do you know you are applying sufficient product during spraying?

On weathered 5 m.p.a. cementitious blockwork the Radcon application rate has been as low as 1.5 sq mtrs per litre of product.
On 50 – 60 m.p.a. concrete Radcon can cover up to 8 sq mtrs per litre.
(4 to 6 sq mtrs per litre average application).
Visually any Radcon application should see product flowing on the surface to wet the concrete.
Simply misting the surface without saturation is deemed ineffective.

10. What durability improvements are achieved applying Radcon to concrete?

Once Radcon is applied to cementitious concrete the structure will never leak, the steel will never rust, although attack from the underside of such untreated areas may occur.
Radcon treated areas will permanently eradicate concrete spalling whilst preventing freeze/thaw and de-icing salt damage.
Testing furthermore demonstrates that the penetrated zone increases in hardness from 6 to 8 on Moh’s scale; 8 being equivalent to granite.

11. What water pressure will Radcon handle prior to failure?

Radcon has undergone several such tests. Probably the SINTEF Norway test showing Radcon maintaining a watertight seal under a 400 metre pressure head would be the most significant to date.
In fact it was the actual failure of the cracked Radcon treated concrete cylinder under a 400 metre pressure head which concluded the SINTEF published result.

12. What life expectancy can be expected from Radcon waterproofed concrete incorporating the Radcrete System approach?

Let us define a Radcon system approach to total waterproofing.
This will include Radcon treatment to the concrete material.
Penetrations and construction joints can be addressed using materials such as RX Waterstop from American Colloid company Chicago.
Utilising such bentonite clay materials is complimentary to Radcon in achieving lifetime waterproofing results overall.
Should expansion joints be required these may require 20 year maintenance periods.
However, whenever upturns at expansion joints can be achieved with a physical barrier over the top such as a metal sheet, then again this design approach can form part of an overall lifetime maintenance free system.
Radcon product lifetime performance is confirmed by the Australian Government testing authority CSIRO. This report can be found in our password protected segment titled “The Virtuous Cycle of Radcon”.

13. What effects do temperatures have on Radcon’s sealing performance and re-sealing capabilities?

Radcon must be applied above 5°c to ensure there is no moisture frozen inside the concrete to be treated. Furthermore Radcon can only react with free calcium and water to create it's chemical seal with the temperature being 5°c or above.
Radcon should not be applied over 35°c as product will atomise into the atmosphere and additionally dry on the concrete surface prior to capillary absorption.
Once Radcon has been properly applied, temperature becomes irrelevant making the product suitable for sub-zero or high-heat applications.

14. Can coatings be placed over Radcon?

Obviously by now you will probably have established that Radcon a product with living characteristics is a water activated material.
Therefore all water based paints and water based acrylic membranes should “NOT” be placed over Radcon treated concrete.
If you are using water based acrylic membranes for detailing penetrations strip seals etc then complete this work first on your concrete structure allow to fully cure then proceed with Radcon waterproofing.
The only other warning on coatings is “AVOID” alkyd line marking paints. These paints are designed to sit on the surface of concrete with minimal absorbency into concrete. As Radcon has reduced absorption substantially line-marking paint will tend to sit on the surface and delaminate.
Your options like strip seals is to do your line marking prior to Radcon application or “Ideally” apply Radcon to the entire area then use a turpentine or spirit based yellow paint for line marking.
As absorption is substantially reduced these approaches will produce similar results as if a line marking paint had actually been applied.
All other, either cementitious coatings or spirit based, turpentine based paints will suffer no loss of adhesion.

15. Can Radcon damage building materials?

As Radcon like concrete itself has a high pH (11.7) Radcon contact with Aluminium, glass, glass glazed tiles should be avoided.
Be sure overspray does not make contact with such materials this of course also includes car paintwork.

16. Will Radcon harm the environment?

Radcon is one of the most environmentally safe waterproofing technologies ever to be developed.
This is why Radcon is certified as acceptable for use in potable water tanks and additionally has been utilised in Salt Water marine aquariums. Salt water creatures are amongst the most sensitive of all when it comes to death by toxin leaching, should any toxins in materials be present.

17. Is Radcon suitable to waterproof all concretes?

Radcon will produce lifetime waterproofing on all cementitious concrete mix designs.
Suitable concretes include OPC, PPC Ash free blends, Type C ash blends, slag blends and micro silica blends limited to 3% cement replacement.
AVOID pozzolanic concrete mixes. These concretes contain either Type F ash addition or Volcanic ash, leading to matrix lock up of free calcium in concrete thus impeding Radcon from sealing any new cracks which may occur in the future. Radcon cannot compete for free calcium if it simply doesn’t exist!
In Europe, Type W fly ash is rich in calcium (and therefore suitable for Radcon) whilst Type V fly ash is strong pozzolanic and should be avoided. Details of this are available in the European Norms which deal with cement and are covered in EN-197.

18. Is Radcon similar to a crystal growth product?

Radcon is often compared to crystal growth materials however, they are totally different technologies.
Crystal growths produce rigid dentritic crystals to block water molecules.
Therefore crystal growths used on high thermal stress, above grade `applications are doomed to failure in the short term unless thermally insulated.
By comparison Radcon forms an amorphous gel inside the concrete and cracks present.
The gel can be cyclically opened and closed in watertight cracks up to 1.3 mm in width, tolerating a 0.4mm opening and closing cycle without leakage through the slab. (University of Bologna test rig).
This is the sort of high thermal stressing tolerance which crystal growth suppliers could only dream about.
Notwithstanding this fact crystal growth materials do offer the ideal lifetime waterproofing solution for low thermal stress applications such as all below grade thermally insulated applications as well as water holding vessels.
Radcrete Pacific supplies Radmyx crystal growth as a complimentary product for the above reasons.

19. Are there similar products to Radcon amongst other silicate based materials?

Radcon is unique in the world of waterproofing and has remained as such for its 27 year + history to date.
There are many similar sounding silicate based materials in the market-place however, none are certified to meet membrane specification with regard to preventing totally water ingress and salt ingress reaching any top line reinforcements in particular where leaking cracks are present.
Most reputable suppliers are very honest in promoting the limitations of their sealer products in general. However there are also a handful of operators globally who claim to have products that perform the same as Radcon.
Concerning these pirate companies you may find our Radcon site references, our own proprietary test results and direct copyright plagiarism within their product brochures.
“Buyer Beware” as these silicate materials can create an initial seal even with leaking cracks present.
However as the silicates dehydrate crystals will form thus transmitting water during rain periods.
By comparison Radcon will maintain its elastic, amorphous gel within the concretes matrix and cracks, preventing water, airborne pollutants and salts penetrating.

20. How does Radcon compare to sealer materials such as silanes, siloxanes and methylmythacrylates?

Radcon not only replaces all currently known above grade membrane applications but of course by default becomes world best concrete protection technology.
Generic sealers such as silanes, siloxanes, methylmythacrylates and even silcates can only deliver general concrete protection without again addressing the weakest point, the cracks present.
Sealers are most often used as a general preventative for freeze/thaw damage, ingress of airborne pollutants and some protection from de-icing salts.
One will find that a 2 coat specified, 100% solids content silane will be substantially more expensive at an applied price than a single Radcon lifetime waterproofing application.

21. If Radcon is the miracle product how come it hasn’t been brought out by some global giant?

Radcon has always remained a privately held technology during its 27 year history.
If one studies the company takeovers within the waterproofing industry over the past decade it has been almost exclusively large companies taking over large companies.
This practice has been driven by the need to achieve economies of scale i.e. buying market share, closing factories, reducing staff numbers and deleting brand name product lines.
In a construction industry where innovations such as Radcon should be embraced, in fact the opposite is true.
Membrane companies look forward to their retrofit business, asphalt suppliers see their product scraped off bridge decks for membrane replacement.
Reinforcing suppliers are happy to see steel rust and concrete suppliers are happy to see 100 year design life criterias reduce substantially into our 21st century.

22. Is Radcon compatible with other waterproofing products used as expansion joints or penetrations detailing etc.?

As Radcon produces Calcium silicate hydrate gel all concrete products will adhere to Radcon treated concrete.
HOWEVER as Radcon is activated by water indefinitely if you are utilising water based acrylic membranes for detailing work, then this detailing should be completed prior to Radcon application.

23. What happens if one places asphalt over Radcon treated concretes?

Asphalt when placed over Radcon at 160°c will have no detrimental effects on efficacy.
Asphaltic bond test conducted by Washington Highway Authority shows no bond loss when placed over the control and Radcon treated samples.
Of course it is critical that proper asphalting procedures are undertaken, in particular the placement of the "tack coat" prior to asphalt placement.

24. How resistant is Radcon treated concrete to strong acid and alkali applications?

Radcon will improve the general durability of concrete substantially reducing acid and alkali absorption into concrete.
This will substantially reduce the attack of strong acids and alkalis but Radcon is not the 100% solution.
In reality it is only inert epoxy coatings and resistant liner materials which can produce 100% long term protection whilst ever such materials contain no damage leading to perforations.
Radcon is not highly recommended to prevent high acid, high alkali attack.

25. What happens if a leaking crack continues to leak after a Radcon application?

One of great features of Radcon is that if a leak is present at the practical end of an application the matter can be easily addressed.
Unlike a membrane application where water can be tracking underneath, with a Radcon application one can go straight to the offending crack for remedial treatment.
In some instances just more water creating more Radcon growth will alleviate the situation.
Alternatively a problem may require a silicone bead seal underneath so Radcon can be flooded into such a crack then further watered to achieve a 100% watertight result.

26. What sort of equipment is required to apply Radcon onto concrete?

Small applications can be undertaken using a Solo backpack spray “ a weed sprayer” delivering 160 sq mtrs of application per hour.
For larger jobs an impeller driven on demand pump hooked up to a Honda motor will deliver 800 sq mtrs per hour per unit.

27. What happens if we Radcon treat concrete which has unstable working cracks due to structural volatility; structural failure?

Over the years we have actively pursued Radcon treatments to structurally volatile sites having established up front that volatility was present.
These sites are usually under engineered car parks where vehicular loading is creating movement.
For these applications Radcon is the primary concrete waterproofing material and volatile cracks are addressed utilising an elastomeric in the cracks to accommodate movement without failure.

28. Will Radcon prevent Radon gas emissions through basement and bunker areas?

All silicate materials will reduce radiation permeation through concrete.
Field testing has demonstrated the Radcon products ability to substantially reduce Radon transmission. However due to the health concerns surrounding Radon emissions Radcrete do not release test results on this application nor do we recommend Radcon for such applications.

29. Will Radcon change the appearance of concrete either after application or in the long term?

When Radcon has been applied to concrete, watered and allowed to dry, a trained eye will notice a slight increase in sheen given off by excess surface silicates.
Over the long term there will be no visual changes what so ever including any form of discolouration.

30. How soon can Radcon be applied to concrete?

We suggest a 28 day primary hydration of concrete prior to Radcon Application.
However Radcon can applied within a few days after concrete pour.
If the 28 day period is reduced to a few days the applicator must be prepared to re-visit after 28 days plus to ensure no new major cracks have formed which may require re-application of Radcon to such cracks and further waterings to ensure a 100% watertight seal has been achieved to the entire area.

31. How should concrete be cured prior to Radcon application?

In all instances we prefer water curing practices which guarantees no form of concrete contamination.
If high quality curing agents are specified then obviously they will require water blast or grit blast removal for Radcon penetration during application to occur.

32. What is the shelf life of Radcon?

Even with half empty containers providing the lid is secure from air intrusion Radcon maintains unlimited shelf life.
Product should always be mixed prior to application.
Similar in fashion to a paint, the solids in Radcon particularly the heavy silicates settling out of solution will see solids settle in the base of the drums.
Proper mixing will see these solids re-dispersed through the Radcon solution.

33. Do you have to do the second and third waterings?

After Radcon becomes touch dry the first watering is absolutely critical.
If the product is not watered within a few hours after becoming touch dry the system is lost and the Radcon material is no more useful than a silicate floor hardener.
The day 2 and 3 waterings can be conducted at any time in reality. The fact is it will usually take about 3 waterings over 3 days to achieve sufficient Radcon growth in cracks to achieve a 100% watertight result.
Once Radcon is touch dry you cannot water it too much.
In fact you could dam the area and allow the cracks to leak water until they totally seal 2-3 days hence.

34. Can Radcon be applied where other sealer materials have been used previously?

Obviously any material designed to repel water off concrete will also repel Radcon preventing penetration and ultimate waterproofing reaction from taking place.
Ensure all previous failed materials are completely removed. If cracks have been contaminated by previous materials they may require an arrow head grind, Radcon application and non-shrink grout emplacement.

35. What would be a generic specification for the Radcon technology in tender documents?

The Material shall be a clear colourless, odourless, sodium silicate based material as globally supplied by Radcrete Pacific or their nominated global agents.
The material shall react at ambient temperatures with free lime present in the concrete forming non-water soluble complex calcium silicates which are chemically resistant compounds that fill the pores of the surface and sub-surface concrete including any leaking cracks present to produce a continuous sub-surface membrane with outgassing properties.
The material supplier must be able to produce a Federal Government certification confirming the materials ability to conform to the equivalent of a protective surface coating Clause 4.3.1(c) of AS3600 Concrete Structures Code to ensure you are purchasing a genuine waterproofing technology and “NOT” a generic sealing material only.
Suitable waterproofing certifications would include BBA certification, EU certification or Australian Government certification by CSIRO Technical Assessment.
Once applied the material will have the capacity to re-seal any newly formed cracks as may appear, preventing both water and salt ingress to all reinforcing, prevent concrete spalling and prevent freeze/thaw damage.

36. Can you use Radcon on an existing topping slab which leaks?

Obviously Radcon waterproofs all cementitious concretes including reinforced topping slabs.
Whilst Radcon will waterproof the actual topping, all too often water paths can remain under the topping transmitted by failed penetration detailing, wind driven rain external to the building, electrical conduits, parapet wall deck interfaces from the outer edge etc. etc.
Only treat topping slabs at your own risk, fully understanding the intrinsic problems which may be encountered post Radcon application due to other unknown problems existing under the topping.

37. Does Radcon promote fungal growth (mould) on treated concrete?

As Radcon is a high pH product (11.7) Radcon will prevent or deter fungal growth occurrence.
In damp shaded areas where fungus will eventually grow on Radcon treated concrete removal is extremely easy given the spores are unable to enter the concrete matrix.

38. Does Radcon attract dirt or air borne pollutants onto treated concrete?

Radcon as a silicate material, creates no electrostatic attraction for airborne pollutants.The opposite can apply to sealer materials in particular siliconate based materials.

39. Does a Radcon treatment cause accelerated corrosion or other damage to steel reinforcements?

It is the highly alkali nature of cementitious concretes which delivers passivity to the steel preventing rust. Again the high pH of Radcon acts in exactly the same protective way.
In fact “University of New South Wales tests” confirm Radcon in itself can reinstate alkalinity into Alkali depleted concretes.

40. From a global perspective how does Radcon waterproofing compare with other certified waterproofing technologies on price?

Let us dwell on certified materials. A product which prevents both water and salt ingress into the concrete matrix and cracks present thus meeting Clause 4.3.1© of AS3600Code with regard to chloride and water permeability.
On this basis Radcon represents the lowest cost concrete waterproofing approach available in the global marketplace.
Certainly one could find similar sounding silicate materials at lower costs, however the specifier would be recommending a sealer material to do a waterproofing job. Such materials are not supplied as certified waterproofing technologies, as they do not meet AS3600 requirements.

41. How does an end user purchase Radcon for their site requirements?

You can purchase Radcon 20 litre drum samples and 200 litre drums to site direct from Radcrete Pacific. Your 20 litre sample will be sent to your preferred address by DHL at AUD800.00 per 20 litre drum inclusive of delivery charges.
For sites 200 litre drums are delivered CIF sea freight to your closest nominated customs sea port.
However please note Radcrete do not offer technical advise or technical support on a one on one basis.
We therefore actively encourage you to click-on to our territorial agents who can give you technical advice, supply and apply quotations or site supervision quotes only should you be purchasing product direct from Radcrete where permitted.

42. Is Radcon suitable for waterproofing pre-cast panels and pre-cast elements?

Yes! But quite often the "form release agents" used by the pre-cast manufacturers may be of a wax or oil base.

Before treating pre-cast elements with Radcon waterproofing one must ensure no residual form release agent is present as this would repel Radcon penetration.

Furthermore any residual release agent may cause "white stains" in patchy areas.

If in doubt a trial application prior to a fully committed application may be an appropriate first step.

43. Apart from a Radcon waterproofed low cost end result, does the product deliver other tangible construction benefits?

The other tangible benefits utilising Radcon can be both significant and varied.
a)Low cost application – Radcon can be applied very fast when compared to traditional membrane detailing work.
b)Fast Track Construction – Often in wet climates the need to have all moisture removed from the concrete prior to placing a non-breathing material over the top can add significant time delays. By comparison Radcon can be applied as soon as the concrete surface is visually dry.
c)No Mechanical Damage – Once applied Radcon cannot be damaged by other trades on site.
All too often perfect membrane applications can be damaged by other trades leading to cross- arguments concerning guilty parties with a probable outcome of everyone loosing out to some degree.
d)Major Savings on Construction and Engineering – For example car park Radcon applications go straight onto the structural slab. Alleviating the need for a structural topping slab, saves time, money and Engineering requirements.
The same is true for rail bridges where topping slabs over the waterproofing are not required as ballast stones can be placed straight over the Radcon treatment of the structural slab.

44. Has Radcon had any failures?

Radcrete has dealt with 61 site failures beginning in 1991.
Some 16 site failures related to structural failures of building that caused volatile cracking.
All sites were settled without court action as expert reports clearly delineated structural failure.
The other 46 site failures occurred exclusively in Queensland Australia.
Over a 9 year period these failures represented the greatest scientific breakthrough that Radcrete could have ever hoped for.
Everyone of these structurally stable sites were successfully waterproofed with Radcon product.
Within 1-3 years each of these sites containing 20+% Type F ash replacement to cement, became brittle and cracks propagated right through these slabs.
It was then that Radcrete discovered the pozzolanic nature of Type F ash usage causing matrix lock-up.
There was no free lime left for Radcon to react with as these new but stable cracks propagated.
Scientific laboratories would dispute this comment given they can grind up Type F ash concrete samples and still find calcium.
However in the field the crack walls could not leach this calcium; therefore autogenous healing was lost, passivity to the steel was lost and re-application of Radcon to new cracks simply saw the product wash through during the watering procedures.
If concrete specifiers are wondering why cracked concretes may no longer leach passivating calcium, and all they see first is rust staining, Radcrete maintains some 15 years field experience in these matters spanning many countries.
As Radcrete do not answer technical advises and queries if you maintain an interest in Concrete designs we recommend you to the American Concrete Institute publication “The visible and Invisible Cracking of Concrete” R.W. Burrows May 1997.
Mr. Burrows now in his eighties produced this document based on his own 60 year investigation into the behaviour of concretes.

45. Does Radcon entrap moisture in concrete?

No, Radcon is a breathing system which allows for moisture vapour outgassing whilst preventing both the ingress of water molecules and pollutants from reaching any steel reinforcement.

46. How is Radcon Formula # 7 in preventing fuel, oils and grease penetrating concrete and do these materials adversely effect Radcon product performance?

The listed materials are unable to penetrate into Radcon Formula # 7 treated
concrete.

For example, grease will always leave a permanent stain on untreated concrete. Radcon treated concrete cannot be permanently stained with grease, the concrete will clean up as the grease and other materials listed will lack penetration which would create permanent discolouration to the effected areas.

Furthermore these materials cannot adversely effect the Radcon product performance. Therefore Radcon product performance will be fully maintained.

47. What effect, if any does Radcon have on the bonding ability of cementitious materials?

The Radcon bond wrench test shows a 27% plus bond increase between cementitious materials. (Columbia University – Tensile strength test)

48. Is Radcon Formula # 7 sulphate resistant?

Crystal growths offer sulphate resistance as the active ingredients utilise dissolvable calcium to form dentridic crystals making the concrete more stable to attack but not totally resistant over the long term.
Radcon also offers greater sulphate protection by utilising free calcium to form its glass hard gel.
As neither crystal growths nor Radcon can offer total long term protection in these applications Radcon has not been tested to show its level of improved performance.

49. Can Radcon Formula # 7 be used in a negative pressure situation?

Yes, but only providing the area to be treated is totally dry upon application to allow capillary absorption and then necessary waterings to take place on the negative side prior to water moving back from the positive side. This is generally why crystal growth are preferred negative pressure side applications, as crystals will migrate against the positive side water pressure.

50. Can Radcon Formula # 7 be applied over a crystalline growth product which has failed?

Yes, quite often crystal admixtures which have been inappropriately applied above grade continue to form cracks which do not re-seal and continue to leak.

Radcon Formula # 7 can permanently repair such failed sites providing we are working with cementitious concrete mixes.

51. Can Radcon Formula # 7 waterproof cold or pour joints without using Waterstop or other detailing work?

Yes, but we never recommend relying on Radcon alone as these areas are prone to honeycombing. We may simply have voids, which are too great for Radcon alone to completely fill such areas on every occasion.

52. Radcon relies on free soluble calcium within concrete to create its watertight chemical reaction What can you do on very old slabs, which have leaked for many years leading to all soluble calcium being depleted?

One can re-instate this lost calcium by dissolving “fresh” builders lime in water and applying to cracks prior to Radcon application.

The lime must be sourced fresh as oxidised lime “will not” actively dissolve.

Handling lime can be quite dangerous, as hot aggressive and alkali corrosive action will take place.

ALTERNATIVELY – One may source calcium acetate as the food or trigger for Radcon to replace the lost lime in concrete.

Calcium acetate is”food quality” acetate used in baking processes and can usually be sourced from a wholesaler of raw materials to the food industry.


53. Radcon has been applied to specification and a total seal is confirmed. Some months of the dry weather occurs after application and when it rains some cracks begin to leak.

These are only three known reasons why this could occur.
i)The concrete mix design contained Type F fly ash or volcanic ash causing matrix lock up of calcium by the Pozzolanic reaction. The wrong concrete mix was utilised.
ii)Large cracks were present and the applicator did not tape the underside of cracks during application to ensure product flooding occured inside these cracks. A superficial seal was achieved and such cracks would require underside taping and re-treatment with Radcon.
iii) The most common crack leaking occurence would be on trafficable areas where maximum loading is causing structural failure due to working cracks breaking open. In this instance rainwater will reactivate and re-seal these cracks proving product efficacy.
With this said the Radcon system will break again and these working cracks will require routing out and an elastomeric material emplaced to accomodate movement and achieve an overall watertight result.

54. If Radcon product becomes frozen in drums does this destroy the efficacy/performance of the product?

Should Radcon product be frozen it is essential that Radcon is "slowly" warmed to around 5-6 degrees centigrade.
The product should then be stirred thoroughly, and may be applied.
Additionally it should be noted that the warmer the temperature the faster Radcon will react with free calcium in the concrete as water is applied to facilitate the Radcon glass hard amorphous gel reaction.

55. Patching Mortars; if we are doing remedial repairs where hacking out necessitates patching with a mortar material what should be done?

Be 100% sure that any repair mortars “do not” contain waterproofing admixtures such as polymers.

Radcon should absorb into the entire job including the patching material. This cannot occur if manufacturers are supplying mortars with their own water repelling materials contained therein.

Crystal growth mortars such as our Radmyx material are acceptable as they are compatible with Radcon and allow for necessary penetration after curing. This cannot occur where mortars with waterproofing additives exist in such products.

56. “Enclosed Areas” – What precautions should be taken if Radcon spraying in enclosed areas such as water tanks?

Getting Radcon touch dry prior to the first watering may require air blower units to speed the process.
Also be aware whilst Radcon is non-toxic any overspray in the atmosphere will deplete breathing air, therefore breathing apparatus will be essential in some enclosed applications.

57. Does Radcon promote or exacerbate AAR - Alkali Aggregate Reaction or ASR - Alkali Silica Reaction?

It is a commonly held belief that Silicate sealers being highly alkali in nature increase the speed of AAR / ASR concrete deterioration and rightly so.

By comparison Radcon waterproofing stops AAR / ASR concrete expansion totally as by stopping water entry critical to this ongoing reaction.

Furthermore long term testing was conducted using Radcon as an admixture by Queensland Department of Main Roads, Australia with reactive aggregates present.

The testing proved conclusively that the presence of reactive aggregates with Radcon dispersed in the mix reduced the AAR / ASR reaction in both ash free concretes and blended concretes.