ACI 503.

5R-92

Guide for the Selection of (Reapproved 1997,2003)

Polymer Adhesives with Concrete
Reported by ACI Committee 503
Raymond J. Schutz

Milton D. Anderson*
Roger W. Black
John P. Cook
Floyd E. Dimmick
Wolfgang D. Eisenhut
Jack J. Fontana*
Paul R. Hollenbach

Robert W. Gaul*
Subcommittee chairman

Mylcs A. Murray
Secretary
Richard Montani
Joseph M. Plecnik
Hamid Saadatmanesh
W. Glenn Smoak
Joe Solomon
Michael M. Sprinkel
Douglas G. Walters*

David P. Hu
T.Michael Jackson
Troy D. Madeley
Albert Mayer
Joseph A. McElroy*
Paul F. McHale
Peter Mendis*

*Members of Subcommittee who prepared the report.

Chapter 3 - Water-borne adhesives (latex and

latex powder adhesives), pg. 503.5R-8

This guide provides the engineer, contractor, and architect with a description of thevarious types of polymer adhesives (epoxy, polyester,
acrylic, plyurethane, polysulfide, silicone, vinyl acetate, and styrene
butadiene) most frequently used for adhesive bonding of fresh concrete to cured concrete, repair of cracks in concrete, bonding concrete to other materials, and adhesive grouting of bolts and other inserts into concrete.
The guide emphasizes the factors that should be considered where
selecting astructural adhesive, including characteristics during installation and in service.The benefits and limitations of adhesive bonding are discussed for each application.

3.1-Application characteristics
3.2-Properties of cured adhesive
3.3-Distinguishing characteristics

Chapter 4 - Adhesive selection criteria, pg.

503.5R-10
4.1-Type and magnitude of loads
4.2-Conditions during application

Chapter 5 - Adhesive for bonding of hardened

concrete to hardened concrete, pg. 503.5R.10
5.1-Important application characteristics
5.2-Important bond-strength considerations

Chapter 6 - Adhesives for bonding of plastic

concrete to hardened concrete, pg. 503.5R-11

CONTENTS
Chapter 1 - General, pg. 503.5R-2

6.1-Important application characteristics

6.2-Important bond-strength considerations

1.1-Organization of the Guide

1.2-Caution
1.3-Advantages/disadvantages of adhesive bonding
1.4-Glossary of terms

Chapter 7 - Adhesives for repair of cracks in

concrete, pg. 503.5R-11
7.1-Important application considerations
7.2-Important strength considerations

Chapter 2 - Solvent-free adhesives, pg. 503.5R-4

2.1-Application characteristics
2.2-Properties during cure
2.3-Properties of cured adhesive
2.4-Distinguishing Characteristics

Chapter 8 - Adhesives for bonding inserts into

concrete, pg. 503.5R-12
8.1-Important application considerations
8.2-Important strength considerations

ACI Committee Reports, Guides, Standard Practices, and

Commentaries are intended for guidance in designing, planning, executing, or inspecting construction and in preparing
specification. Reference to these documents shall not be made
in the Project Documents. If items found in these documents
are desired to be part of the Project Documents they should
be phrased in mandatory language and incorporated into the
Project Documents.

Chapter 9 - Adhesives for bonding concrete and

other materials, pg. 503.5R-13
9.1-Important application considerations
Copyright 0 1992. American Concrete Institute.
All rights reserved including rights of reproduction and use in any form or
by any means. including the making of copies by any photo process. or by any
electronic or mechanical device, printed. written, or oral, or recording for sound
or visual reproduction or for use in any knowledge or retrieval system or device, unless permission in writing is obtained from the copyright proprietors.

503.5R-1

503.5R-2

ACI COMMITTEE REPORT

Chapter 10 - Quick reference guide, pg. 503.5R-

14
Chapter 11 - References, pg. 503.5R-15
11.1-Specified and/or recommended references
11.2-Cited references
11.3-Additional references

CHAPTER 1 - GENERAL
This guide is intended to aid the engineer, contractor, and architect in choosing a proper polymer adhesive for adhesive bonding applications encountered in
joining concrete members in construction, repair, and
rehabilitation of concrete structures.
1.1- Organization of the Guide
Sections 2 and 3 of the guide describe the properties
of the two major classes of polymer adhesives in use
(solvent-free adhesives and water-borne adhesives) and
identifies the distinguishing features of the specific polymers (e.g., epoxy, acrylic, and polyvinyl acetate)
within each class. Section 4 lists the basic criteria that
should be used in all adhesive selections. Sections 5
through 9 provide additional guidance specific to the
selection of adhesives for bonding fresh or hardened
concrete to hardened concrete, repairing cracked concrete, bonding other materials to concrete, and bonding inserts into concrete. Section 10 is a quick reference
guide to help narrow the search for a proper adhesive.
This guide includes more data and information on
epoxy adhesives than on other types because epoxy ad-

hesives are the most versatile and by far the most

widely used with concrete. Information on other types
is included where there is a choice.
1.2 - Caution
The Guide presents data on the various polymer and
copolymer types (epoxy, polyester, acrylic, polyurethane, silicones, vinyl acetate, and styrene-butadiene)
either as typical values, as a range of values, or as relative values. Because of the ease of tailoring polymer
products by formulation, some very special products
within a group may possess values for a particular
characteristic that differ widely from the typical value
or fall outside of the range. To include all extremes
would lead to a less accurate perception of the true nature of these groups of products as they are commonly
used. The cited characteristics of classes of polymer
adhesives are only a guide to help narrow the field in a
search for an appropriate adhesive.

When using an adhesive, the manufacturers literature should always be reviewed. Manufacturers recommendations should be followed because the adhesive may differ from other adhesives in its class.
Many adhesives contain hazardous ingredients. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and labels should always be consulted before using the adhesive.
1.3 - Advantages/disadvantages of adhesive
bonding
The major advantage of adhesive bonding is that it

allows distribution of an applied load over much larger

areas compared to other methods of fastening, thus reducing the unit stress on the elements that are bonded.
It allows attachment without having to alter the shape
or deface the elements to be attached. The adhesive
bond line can also act as a moisture barrier. 1,2
The major disadvantage of adhesive bonding is that
the bonded elements cannot be disturbed after being

joined, because the adhesive cures for hours or days

depending on the cure rate of the adhesive used and the
temperature of the elements being bonded. Thus, work
progress may be slowed down if the other work tasks
cannot be scheduled to accommodate the adhesive cure
time.
1.4 - Glossary of terms
This glossary gives definitions of some terms which
are used in adhesive bonding in the concrete industry.
Other terms may be found in ASTM D 907.
Accelerator-A material that increases the rate of a
chemical reaction.
Acrylic - One of a group of resins formed by polymerizing the esters or amides of acrylic acid.
Adhesives - The group of materials used to join or
bond similar or dissimilar materials; for example, in
concrete work, the epoxy resins.
Age hardening - The progressive change in the
chemical and physical properties of an adhesive, leading to embrittlement.
Bond line - The interface between two surfaces
bonded together with an adhesive.
Catalyst - A substance whose presence increases the
rate of a chemical reaction. In some cases the catalyst
is consumed and regenerated, in other cases the catalyst seems not to enter into the reaction, but functions
by virtue of some other characteristic.
Cohesive - The type of molecular attraction that
holds adhesives and other materials together.
Cohesive failure - A failure by separation within the
adhesive itself, or within the substrate, rather than in
the adhesives bond to the substrate.
Copolymerization - Polymerization of two or more
dissimilar monomers.
Crosslinking agent - A substance that increases the
molecular weight of a polymer by chemically linking
and bridging the polymer chains.
Cure- To change the properties of a chemical (usually a polymer) by increasing its molecular weight by
polymerization or crosslinking, usually accomplished by
the action of heat, catalyst, crosslinking agent, curing
agent, or any combination, with or without pressure.
Curing agent - A substance that accelerates or participates in the curing of chemicals, sometimes referred
to as a hardener.
Elastomeric- Pertaining to a substance which has
rubberlike properties.
Emulsion - A two-phase liquid system in which
small droplets of one liquid (the internal phase) are immiscible in, and dispersed uniformly throughout, a second continuous liquid phase (the external phase).

POLYMER ADHESIVES

Epoxy resins - A class of organic chemical bonding

systems used in the preparation of special coatings or
adhesives for concrete or as binders in epoxy resin
mortars and concretes.
Exothermic -Pertaining to a chemical reaction
which occurs with the evolution of heat.
Flexibilizer - A substance that is mixed with a more
brittle material to make the latter more ductile.
Gel -A colloid in which the dispersed phase has
combined with the continuous phase to produce a viscous jelly-like material.
Glass transition temperature - The temperature or
range of temperature at which polymeric materials
change from a rigid, glass-like state to an elastomericlike state.
Heat deflection temperature (HDT) - The temperature at which a plastic material reaches an arbitrary deflection when subjected to an arbitrary load and test
condition. It can be an indication of the glass transition temperature, although these two temperatures are
not necessarily equal.
Initiator - A substance that causes a chemical reaction (such as polymerization or curing) to start. The
term usually applies to free-radical polymerization-type
reactions.
Latex - A dispersion of organic polymer particles in
water.
Minimum-film-forming temperature (MFFT) - The
lowest temperature at which the polymer particles of a
latex have sufficient mobility and flexibility to coalesce
into a continuous film.
Monomer -An organic liquid, of relatively low
molecular weight, that creates a solid polymer by reacting with itself or other compounds of low molecular
weight or both.
Plasticizer - A substance added to polymer or copolymer to reduce its minimum film forming temperature and/or its glass transition temperature.
Polyester - One of a large group of synthetic resins,
mainly produced by reaction of unsaturated dibasic acids with dihydroxy alcohols; commonly prepared for
application by mixing with a vinyl-group monomer and
free-radical catalysts at ambient temperatures and used
as binders for resin mortars and concretes, fiber laminates (mainly glass), adhesives, and the like.
Polymer - The product of polymerization; more
commonly a rubber or resin consisting of large molecules formed by polymerization.
Polymerization - The reaction in which two or more
molecules of the same substance (monomer) combine to
form a compound containing the same elements, but of
high molecular weight.
Polyol - -A polhydric alcohol, i.e., one containing
two or more hydroxyl groups.
Polysulfide - Synthetic polymers obtained by the
reaction of sodium polysulfide with organic dichlorides.
Polyurethane - Reaction product of an isocyanate
with any one of a wide variety of other compounds

503.5R-3

containing an active hydrogen group; used to formulate tough, abrasion-resistant coatings.

Polyvinyl acetate - Colorless, permanently thermoplastic resin; usually supplied as an emulsion or waterdispersible powder characterized by flexibility, stability
towards light, transparency to ultraviolet rays, high dielectric strength, toughness, and hardness; the higher
the degree of polymerization, the higher the softening
temperature; may be used in paints for concrete.
Promoter - Substances, which added in small quanities, increase the activity of catalysts, as well as increase or promote polymerization activity.
Pseudoplastic - Often referred to as thixotropic, a
substance whose viscosity decreases with increasing
shear.
Rheology - The science dealing with the flow of
materials.
Silicone - A resin, in which the main polymer chain
consists of alternating silicon and oxygen atoms, with
carbon containing side groups; silicones may be used in
caulking or coating compounds, admixtures for concrete, or as adhesives.
Substrate - A material upon the surface of which an
adhesive is spread for the purpose of bonding.
Surface-active agent - A substance that markedly
affects the interfacial or surface tension of solutions
even when present in very low concentrations.
Surface energy - The interfacial free energy per unit
area of the boundary between the surface of a substrate and the air above it.
Surface tension - A measure of surface energy,
arising from molecular forces at the surface of a liquid,
which tend to contain the volume to a minimum surface area.
Surfactant - A contraction of the term surface-active agent".
Thermoplastic - Becoming soft when heated and
hard when cooled.
Thermosetting - Becoming rigid by chemical reaction and not remeltable.
Thixotroping agents - A substance incorporated
into an adhesive to impart thixotropy.
Thixotropy - The property of a material that enables it to stiffen in a short period of time on standing,
but to acquire a lower viscosity on mechanical agitation, the process being reversible; a material having this
property is termed thixotropic or shear thinning (see
Rheology).
Vinyl ester - One of a group of synthetic resins produced by the reaction of acrylic with epoxy resin or
Bisphenol A, and commonly prepared for application
by mixing with a vinyl group monomer and free-radical
catalysts at ambient temperatures, and used as binders
for resin mortars and concretes, and fiber laminates
(mainly glass) adhesives.
Viscosity - The property of a material which resists
change in shape or arrangement of its elements during
flow, and the measure thereof. Specifically the ratio of
the shear stress existing between laminae of moving
fluid and the rate of shear between these laminae.

503.5R-4

ACI COMMITTEE REPORT

Working life -The period of time which an adhesive, after mixing with a curing agent or other ingredient, remains sufficiently workable to permit spreading
and application.
CHAPTER 2 - SOLVENT-FREE ADHESIVES

Solvent-free adhesives cure by polymerization of

monomeric resins. Section 2.1. describes the characteristics of polymeric adhesives prior to curing which are
important in applying or installing the adhesive. Section 2.2 describes properties of these materials during
and after curing which affect their suitability in achieving and maintaining an adhesive bond. Section 2.3 describes the features that distinguish each of the polymeric adhesives.
2.1- Application characteristics
2.1.1 Working life - Working life can vary from as
little as 2 min to as long as 8 hr from one adhesive to
another within each type of solvent free adhesive. In
general, the longer the working life, the longer the curing time. Automatic metering and mixing equipment
makes practical the use of adhesives with a very short
working life.3
The temperatures of the adhesive components, the
ambient temperature, and the substrates also influence
working time. High temperatures shorten working time
and low temperatures lengthen working time.4 The polymerization reaction is exothermic. Holding a mixed
adhesive in a mass in a mixing container increases the
temperature of the adhesive because the heat cannot
dissipate efficiently. This significantly shortens the
working life. Applying the adhesive to the substrate
immediately after mixing lengthens the working life because most of the exothermic heat can be dissipated
into the substrate without raising the temperature of the
adhesive.
2.1.2 Curing -There are two mechanisms for curing adhesives. Epoxies and two-component polyurethanes cure by the chemical reaction of the base resin
and a curing agent. Polyesters, one-component polyurethanes, methacrylates, polysulfides, and silicones cure
by the addition of a catalyst or release of a catalyst included in the formulation.5
The curing reaction of a monomer/curing agent is
very temperature-dependent.6 Lower temperatures extend the curing time and higher temperatures shorten
the curing time. Although special adhesives are available that will cure at temperatures down to 0 F (-18 C),
most adhesives will not effectively cure in a practical
time at temperatures below 40 F (4 C).
Catalytic curing is less temperature-dependent than
the monomer/curing agent reaction, and the cure rate
can be increased by the addition of an accelerator.7
The adhesive must cure quickly enough to obtain
strength levels that can resist stresses that develop from
removal of support of the bonded composite, or from
temperature changes in the bonded composite; and
from exposure to moisture due to precipitation, tides,
or other sources which could cause degradation.
2.1.3 Viscosity - Polymeric adhesives are available

with viscosities ranging from 15 centipoise (cps) to a

paste-like consistency. The viscosity of the adhesive depends on the inherent viscosity of the base monomers
and curing agents, fiiers, and thixotroping agents. The
viscosity of any adhesive can be lowered by raising its
temperature. This can be achieved either by heating the
adhesive itself or by heating the substrate.
2.1.4 Thixotropy - Very viscous adhesives are not
necessarily thixotropic. When thixotropic properties of
an adhesive are desired, an adhesive must be chosen
that has been manufactured to include thixotroping
agents. Generally, high temperatures will lower the
thixotropic characteristic of the adhesive and lower
temperatures will increase the thixotropy, but is not affected to the same extent as viscosity by temperature.8
Adhesives are available that will stand in a bond line
as thick as 1/4 in. (6.4 mm) without external containment.
2.1.5 Toxicity and safety - Most components of
solvent-free adhesives prior to curing have some degree
of toxicity and some are flammable. Toxicity and hazard potentials vary widely from product to product.
The manufacturers literature and Material Safety Data
Sheet (MSDS) for each product should be consulted,
and all cautions should be observed. In general, adhesives require the use of protective clothing, good ventilation, good housekeeping, and personal cleanliness.
2.2 - Properties during cure
2.2.1 Gel - Cure of an adhesive is accompanied by
an increase in viscosity and formation of a gel state before full cure. In the gel state, the adhesive does not
possess the physical or chemical properties it will ultimately achieve. If the adhesive is stressed during curing, irreversible damage can be done to the bond with
the substrate or the adhesive itself, resulting in lower
strength.9,10
2.2.2 Exothermic reaction - The chemical reaction of
curing is exothermic and can accelerate cure rate, resulting in the adhesive reaching the gel state at an elevated temperature. If this happens, internal stresses are
induced in the bond when the adhesive cools to normal
temperature.
On a practical level, this condition occurs only in
bond lines greater than 0.125 in. (3.2 mm) in thickness,
because in narrow bond lines the heat dissipates into
the substrates.
2.2.3 Shrinkage - All adhesives shrink when they
cure. The addition of fillers to an adhesive system will
reduce volumetric shrinkage but the inherent characteristics of a particular polymer system have by far the
greatest influence on shrinkage.11 Volumetric shrinkage
from the uncured to the cured state varies from as low
as 2 percent for filled epoxy systems to over 20 percent
for some unfilled polyester systems.
Shrinkage works against good adhesion. It reduces
the intimate contact between adhesive and substrate
that is important for mechanical interlock and attraction of the adhesive molecules to the substrate surface;
it also builds internal stress in the bond line.12

503.5R-5

POLYMER ADHESIVES

2.3 - Properties of cured adhesive

2.3.1 Bond strength - The strength of an adhesive
bond depends on:
a. Adhesion of the adhesive to the substrate materials.
b. Cohesive strength of the adhesive.
c. Cohesive strength of the substrate materials.
The bonded joint is only as strong as the weakest of
these three strengths.13,14
In all bonding/repair applications, the surface of the
hardened concrete must be sound and clean. Grease
and oil-type contaminants will interface with the formation of a sound bond.
The condition and strength of concrete at the surface
is particularly important. If the larger aggregate is not
exposed, the surface layer is considerably weaker than
the concrete below the surface. The application of lowviscosity primers improves adhesion of solvent-free adhesives that are more viscous or that have relatively
poor molecular attraction to concrete. The low-viscosity primer can provide more intimate contact with the
substrate, resulting in better adhesion.
Adhesive strengths with concrete are usually measured in tension as a pulloff, in flexure in a bond line
parallel with the direction of the applied load, or in
shear. The slant-shear test described in ASTM C 882 is
the most useful and commonly used test. See Table 1
for typical adhesive bond strengths.
The pipe cap pulloff test described in ACI 503R-80,
Appendix A, is useful for field testing adhesive bonds.
2.3.2 Tensile strength and elongation - Because of
the higher tensile strength of polymers relative to concrete, the tensile strength of an adhesive material itself
is seldom a controlling factor.
Tensile strength of adhesives is most commonly
measured by ASTM D 638. Tensile elongation as measured in ASTM D 638 is an indication of the relative
stiffness of the adhesive.
The numerical value determined in the test method
for percentage of elongation should not be taken as the
elongation that will take place in an adhesive joint. The
elongation in the test specimen is measured over a

length of 1 in. (25 mm) with an intial cross section of

1/2 x 1/8 in. (12.7 x 3.2 mm) or less. As the test specimen
is loaded, the cross section can become smaller without
any external constraints. In an actual adhesive joint
loaded in tension, the length of the adhesive in the
direction of the tensile load can vary from a few thousandths to a tenth of an inch. The cross section perpendicular to the tensile force can be literally thousands
of square inches. Because the adhesive is bonded to the
substrates it is not free to change its cross section by
necking down. Thus, its ability to elongate is severely restricted and the elongation achieved in the adhesive joint is not the same as in the test specimen. In
fact, at most it can only be a small fraction of the elongation measured in ASTM D 638.15
2.3.3 Shear strength - Shear strength is the most
important property of adhesive materials commonly
used to bond concrete. Shear strength is usually the
only strength property for short-time loads that may be
exceeded without the bonded concrete substrate failing
first. If the shear forces in the bond line can be calculated, shear strength data can be used to determine if
the adhesive has the strength required.
2.3.4 Flexural strength - As with tensile strength,
adhesive materials have high flexural strength relative
to concrete. Flexural strength of an adhesive is seldom
a critical factor in adhesive bonding of concrete.
2.3.5 Modulus of elasticity - The stiffness of polymer adhesives varies from rubber-like with some silicones and polyurethanes to glass-like with some methacrylate and polyesters (see Table 1). However, the
modulus of all polymer adhesives is affected by temperature, especially near or above the heat-deflection
temperature (HDT). Below the HDT the change in
modulus with temperature is modest (Fig. 1).
Although the modulus of elasticity of polymeric adhesives used with concrete ranges from about 2 percent
to no more than 20 percent of the modulus of elasticity
of concrete, this difference has an insignificant effect
on transfer of load because of the very small volume of
adhesive per unit area of bond line.
2.3.6 Heat-deflection temperature (HDT) - Each

Table 1 - Polymer materials - Typical physical properties*

Acrylic

psi

Tensile strength ASTM 638

Epoxy

5000-9000

4000-13,000

Polyester

600-13,000

Polyurethane

Tensile elongation ASTM D 638

percent

20-70

3-6

2-6

100-1000

Compressive Strength ASTM D 695

psi

4000-14,000

15,000-25,000

13,000-30,000

20,000

NR

300-400

10-100

115-550

140-400

NR

45-65

55-100

100-200

Compressive modulus

10 psi

290-370

degF

165-209

Styrene-butadiene

175-10,000

at 73 F ASTM D 695
Heat deflection
temperature ASTM D 648
Coefficient
of thermal
expansion ASTM D 696
*From Reference 26.
NR: Not reported.

10 /in./in./deg C

48-80

300-800

67-140

503.5R-6

ACI COMMITTEE REPORT

polymer adhesive formulation has a specific HDT. Frequently, manufacturers literature and technical references report physical properties at only one temperature. When this is so, it is important to know the HDT
to be able to anticipate if the physical properties at actual service temperatures will be substantially different
from those strengths reported in the published literature. Modulus of elasticity, adhesive strength, bond
strength, creep resistance, and chemical and radiation
resistance all begin to change at about 18 F (10 C) below the HDT and begin to fall off rapidly in a region
beginning about 18 F (10 C) above the HDT 16-18 (also
see Fig. 1). Heatdeflection temperature is determined
byASTM D 648.
2.3.7 Creep resistance - Polymer adhesives have a
much higher tendency to creep than inorganic materials
such as concrete. Sustained loads at temperatures more
than 18 F (10 C) above the HDT can result in creep to
failure.19 Creep resistance can always be improved by
reducing bond-line thickness, by increasing fiber content of the adhesive as supplied by the manufacturer, or
by adding aggregate in the field. The amount of aggregate that can be added is limited by the degree that
workability is reduced and/or air voids result from too
high an aggregate to adhesive ratio. Physical testing is
required to quantify the effect of filler addition for
each specific adhesive.
2.3.8 Coefficient of thermal expansion - Polymer
adhesives have coefficients of thermal expansion two to
ten times that of concrete (see Table 1). When the adhesive is confined in a narrow [ 1/8 in. (3.2 mm)] or less
bond line between two concrete elements or between
concrete and steel, this difference has not proven to be
a problem. However, when placed in thicker sections or
used to bond materials with a greater thermal expansion and contraction than that of concrete, the difference can cause failure in the concrete if the bonded elements are subjected to low temperatures (below 30 F).
Problems caused by the differences in thermal expansion of the adhesive and concrete can always be
lessened by reducing bond line thickness. Choosing an
adhesive with a lower modulus of elasticity also helps to
minimize stress caused by differences in thermal expansion but increases the danger of creep failure if the
bond line is subjected to sustained loads.
2.3.9 Fire resistance- Polymers are combustible, as
are most organic materials. Incorporation of special
fire-retardent additives and inorganic fillers allows the
formulation of adhesives with fire resistance acceptable
for some applications. The performance of a bonded
concrete structure or of an assembly of concrete adhesively bonded to other materials will depend on the insulation value and thermal conductivity of each of the
bonded materials, as well as the temperature level (see
Section 2.3.6), duration of exposure, and the magnitude and direction of stress on the bond line. An analysis should be performed to estimate the actual temperature that may be reached, and consideration should be
given to the possibility that some of the bonded material may be consumed or removed by the fire. Through

105
4

cn

UY
3

2a
B

lo4

lo3
-50

50

100

150

Temperature, deg C
Fig. 1 - Modulus of amine-cured epoxy (from Reference 38)
appropriate design, including plaster coating of the
concrete member to prevent burn out of the adhesive,
the fire resistance of adhesively bonded concrete structures can be maintained within desired levels. Test data
for a specific application and configuration should be
required when a fire rating is required. 20-21
2.3.10 Age hardening - Most polymer adhesives develop over 90 percent of their strength at normal ambient temperature, 68 to 100 F (20 to 38 C) within 7
days after placement. However, curing continues and
results in higher strength accompanied by higher modulus, or by hardening.22 Age hardening is undesirable
with flexible, low-modulus adhesives that are expected
to maintain their flexibility over a long period of time.
Adhesives are available for which long-term test data
are available. Accelerated aging data using elevated
temperature aging for several days is often used as an
indication of a susceptibility to aging. However, a precise correlation between long-term tests at the expected
service temperature and accelerated tests can be established only by conducting both tests.
2.3.11 Chemical resistance - The degree of chemical
resistance varies greatly, not only between polymer
groups, but also from formulation to formulation
within a polymer group; see Table 2 for comparison of
the polymer groups. Chemical resistance of an adhesive
in a bond line is often better than chemical resistance
tables would indicate because only a very small surface
area (the edges of the bond line) of the entire mass of
adhesive is exposed to the chemical environment.
2.3.12 Water resistance - Cured polymer adhesives
have generally good water resistance. As with chemical
resistance there can be a wide variation both between
polymer groups and within a polymer group for resistance to water. Relative water resistance can be meas-

POLYMER ADHESIVES

Table 2 - Chemical and water resistance - Polymer materials*

Acrylic

xy
65 C

Nonoxidizng acids
Oxidizing acids
Aqueous salt solution
Aqueous alkalies
Polar solvents
Nonpolar solvents
Water

Poly ester
25 c
65 C

S
U

s
S

Polyurethane
25 c
65 C
s
S

S = satisfactory; Q = questionable; U = unsatisfactory.

l Sourcc: Reference 37.

Styrenebuta iene
25 C
65 C

s
:

U
s
S

Silicone
65 C
25 C

Polyurethane
I
UTILITY

Silicone Mineral Filled

Incipient to Mild

Nearly Always Usable

Mild to Moderate

Often Satisfactory

Moderate to Severe

Not Recommended

Epoxy/Aromatic Amine Curing Agent

I
Silicone Unfilled
Polyester Mineral Filled

Gy (Gray) - 1 J/Kg - 100 rad.

Gamma dose Gy
Fig. 2 - Radiation resistance of polymer materials (from Reference 23)
ured by water absorption tests such as ASTM D 570.
However, water resistance in service also depends on
the degree of exposure of the adhesive to water, either
through the substrates or at the edge of the bond line
(Table 2 gives a comparison of polymer groups).
2.3.13 Radiation resistance - Polymer materials are
much more susceptible to radiation than inorganic materials such as concrete. Within a polymer type formulation, variations can greatly influence radiation resistance. See Fig. 2 for relative radiation resistance for
polymer type groups.23-26
2.4 - DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
2.4.1 Epoxy adhesives - Epoxy adhesives are generally composed of an epoxy resin, an amine or polyamid
curing agent, reactive diluents and, in some cases, inorganic fillers and thixotroping agents. They are the
most commonly used polymeric adhesives.
Epoxy adhesives generally have excellent adhesion
because of relatively low curing shrinkage, with low
surface tension and molecular properties that enhance
their attraction to a wide variety of substrates. They are

very tolerant of the alkalinity of concrete.

Epoxy adhesives can be formulated to cure at temperatures as low as 0 F (- 18 C) or to have a working
life allowing use at 100 F (38 C).
Most epoxy adhesives have very low ratios of resin to
curing agent, which allows proper metering and mixing
within the tolerances of available automatic equipment.
Epoxy adhesives conforming to ASTM C 881 will
bond to concrete substrates and some will cure and
bond underwater.27 Since resin systems (resin/curing
agent) are available with viscosities lower than 100 cps
and in semi-solid form, they can be formulated into
adhesive products that pour and penetrate but require
containment in a bond line or into products that can fill
gaps without being contained.
Epoxies can be formulated with HDTs as low as 10 F
(- 12 C) or as high as 180 F (82 C) after curing at normal ambient temperatures. This means that they can be
tailored to a wide variety of strength and modulus requirements for a broad range of service temperatures.
Water and chemical resistance of epoxy adhesives af-

503.5R-8

ACI COMMITTEE REPORT

ter cure, as a class, is second only to polyester adhesives.

2.4.2 Polyester adhesives - Unsaturated polyester
resins are generally dissolved in styrene monomer. They
are cured with initiators, usually an organic peroxide,
such as methyl ethyl ketone peroxide or benzoyl peroxide.
TypicaIly, promoters or accelerators are used to activate the decomposition of the initiator at room temperature, thus enabling rapid low-temperature curing.
Because of their relatively high shrinkage while curing, polyesters have found only limited use as adhesives.28 Epoxy or modified-urethane primers may be
used to improve the overall bond strengths to concrete
substrates if the primers are compatible with the polyester resin prior to use. Resistance to bond failure can
also be increased by increasing the flexibility of the
polyesters, thus providing some local stress relief during the application of external forces. Most polyesters
do not bond well to damp or wet substrates and should
not be used when these conditions exist? However, recent research has shown that some vinyl esters, a type
of polyester, can bond under such conditions.
Curing of polyesters can be accelerated by the addition of an accelerator component which can provide
full cure in approximately 2 min. The use of accelerators that provide very short cure times requires mixing
with automatic equipment. The accelerator is usually
added at a very high ratio of resin/accelerator (100/ 1 to
100/10). Since the accelerator does not become an integral part of the polymer system, intimate mixing with
the monomer resin at a precise proportion is not required to achieve full cure.
Generally polyesters have excellent resistance to acid
environments. Some polyesters have relatively poor resistance to alkalis and solvents. Although water resistance of the polymer itself is good, most polyester adhesive bonds to concrete deteriorate under constant wet
conditions.
Polyesters, in general, are considered flammable,
with flash points below 100 F (38 C). However, products with flash points over 100 F (38 C) are available.
The peroxides used as initiators, when in the pure state,
may decompose rapidly at elevated temperatures over
90 F (32 C) and may even cause fire or explosion. Powder peroxides, such as benzoyl peroxide, are extended
with inert fillers, or are supplied as emulsions, or in
paste form in combination with water or inert organic
liquids, thus minimizing the explosion hazard. In any
event, prolonged storage of the initiators at elevated
temperatures should be avoided to avoid decomposition of the peroxide.
2.4.3 Acrylic adhesives - Methyl methacrylate and
high-molecular-weight methacrylate monomers of the
acrylic family are used as solvent-free adhesives for
concrete. These adhesives generally share the same
characteristics as polyester adhesives. They are most
commonly used by mixing with fine aggregate to form
an easily flowable adhesive mortar.
The flowability of the mortar can be controlled by

the amount of aggregate added. The mortar can be

used as an adhesive to fill wide bond lines and provide
a cure adequate for service in 30 min to 2 hr. In almost
all cases, a primer composed of the methacrylate monomer cured with an organic peroxide is used to provide
an improved bond to concrete.
2.4.4 PoIysulfide adhesives - Polysulfides are most
frequently used as flexibilizers in epoxy resin formulations. These formulations are sometimes referred to as
polysulfide adhesives, but they fit properly into the
epoxy adhesive category. Polysulfide materials that
are primarily joint sealants can be used to bond glass to
concrete.29
2.4.5 Polyurethane adhesives - Polyurethane adhesives are available as both rigid and flexible materials.
When combined with an aromatic amine, the urethane
forms a rigid polymer similar to epoxy adhesives. When
combined with a polyol, they form an elastomer. They
have limited use with concrete because of their low
bond strength. The flexible types have been used in
membrane systems and for bonding ceramic tile to
concrete where impact resistance is required.
2.4.6 Silicone adhesives - Silicones that have the
ability to cure in a wide temperature range are almost
exclusively used as flexible joint sealants.29 However,
they can be used to bond elements such as windows to
concrete where a highly flexible adhesive is required to
minimize concentration of stresses. Silicone should not
be used in applications requiring resistance to sustained
loads.
CHAPTER 3 - WATER-BORNE ADHESIVES
(LATEX AND LATEX-POWDER ADHESIVES)

The only water-borne adhesives currently used to

bond concrete are latex and latex-powder adhesives.
There are two types of latex and latex-powder adhesives30; Type I, which is designed to be used without
further formulation, and Type II, which is designed to
be used in slurry form with a hydraulic cement, usually
portland cement. For Type II adhesives, the ratio of latex to cement is about one part latex solids to four parts
of cement by weight.
Both types of adhesives are generally used for bonding fresh, unhardened concrete to hardened concrete.
However, Type II adhesives have occasionally been
used for bonding hardened concrete to hardened concrete. Latexes and latex powders are generally made by
emulsion polymerization techniques which have been
described in the literature .31 The types in use today include the following:
l Polyvinyl acetate (PVA)
l Vinyl acetate copolymers (VAC)
l Polyacrylic esters (PAP)
l Styrene-butadiene copolymers (SB)
Type I latex and latex-powder adhesives are generally made using a polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) surfactant
system. This type of adhesive gives a dried film that is
redispersible upon application of water. This category
includes most polyvinyl acetate and vinyl acetate copolymers. The more common comonomers are ethylene, butyl acrylate, and the vinyl ester of versatic acid.

POLYMER ADHESIVES

Type II latex adhesives are usually made with nonionic surfactant systems such as alkyl phenols reacted
with various levels of ethylene oxide. Often, low levels
of anionic surfactants are incorporated to assist in polymerization or to result in specific latex properties.
This type of latex gives a dried film that is not redispersible. Polyacrylic esters and styrene-butadiene copolymers are included in this category.
3.1 - Application characteristics
3.1.1 Surface preparation - For both Type I and II
adhesives, the surface should be damp, but without any
standing water. This damp condition is conducive to
penetration by the polymer particles of the adhesives
into the hardened concrete.
3.1.2 Working life -Type I latex adhesives have
a virtually unlimited working life because of their
redispersible characteristic. The adhesive is usually applied by brush or roller, and the fresh, unhardened
concrete can be applied whether the latex is still wet or
has dried. In the latter occurrence, water from the
fresh, unhardened concrete causes redispersion of the
latex polymer. Although it is recommended that the
fresh, unhardened concrete be placed within 24 hr of
applying the latex, satisfactory bonds have been obtained when the fresh, unhardened concrete was placed
up to 7 days after latex application. Note that the dried
film of the Type I latex adhesive must be kept clean
from dust and other contaminants between the times of
film forming and the application of the fresh concrete.
Type II adhesives have a limited working life, the
length of which wiIl depend on the type of latex, the
type of hydraulic cement, and the environmental conditions. Typically, the working life of the slurry, in a
relatively closed container, will be from one to several
hours; however, in an open environment, drying can
occur quickly and shorten working life to less than 30
min. It is important that the fresh concrete be placed
while the latex-cement slurry is still wet. If the slurry
has dried, it may act as a bond breaker rather than an
adhesive.
3.1.3 Curing -Curing of Type I adhesives depends
on the cure of the fresh concrete because Type I adhesives cure by drying. The drying occurs as water is removed either by evaporation or by hydration of the cement in the fresh concrete.
Curing of Type II adhesives depends on the rate of
hydration of the cement in the slurry and also on evaporation of the water.
3.1.4 Methods of application - Type I and Type II
adhesives are usually applied by brush or roller, although other techniques such as spraying and troweling
have also been used. It is essential that the surface being coated be thoroughly damp, and that the application technique be such that the adhesive completely
wets the surface.
3.1.5 Application conditions - It is essential that the
latex adhesive, whether Type I or II, coalesces to form
a polymer film. Consequently, application temperatures must either be above the minimum film-forming

503.5R-9

temperature (MFFT) or above 50 F (10 C), whichever

is higher, when the adhesive and the fresh concrete are
placed.
Although the surface must be thoroughly damp when
the latex adhesive is applied, the adhesive and fresh
concrete should not be placed during wet environmental conditions, such as in rain or snow.
3.2 - Properties of cured adhesive
3.2.1 Bond strength -The bond strength of Type I
and Type II latex adhesives will depend on the latex,
the type of cement, the quality of the hardened surface, and the quality of the fresh concrete. When tested
by ASTM C 1042 method, Type I adhesives usually give
bond strengths in excess of 300 psi (2.1 MPa), while
Type II adhesives give strengths usually in excess of
1200 psi (8.3 MPa).32
3.2.2 Shrinkage -There is virtually no shrinkage
associated with Type I and Type II latex adhesives because these materials, when properly applied, completely migrate into the hardened surface and the fresh
concrete. Consequently, any shrinkage that occurs is
caused by shrinkage of the fresh concrete.
3.2.3 Water resistance - The water resistance of
Type I latex adhesives has always been considered suspect because the latex film is redispersible and vinyl acetate hydrolyzes in the presence of moisture and high
pH values to give water-soluble products (vinyl alcohol
and a metallic acetate). However, this type of adhesive
has been successfully used without apparent problems
in areas exposed to moisture. It is postulated that the
function of the adhesive is to insure that the fresh concrete wets out the hardened concrete surface. The
resulting bond is obtained from the penetration of the
cement paste of the fresh concrete into the surface. If
this postulation is correct, it explains why moisture
failures of Type I adhesives have not occurred where
expected.
Type II latex adhesives (slurries of latex and hydraulic cement) have excellent water-resistance. In fact, such
slurries are used for waterproofing swimming pools and
for corrosion protection of steel members.33
3.3 - Distinguishing characteristics
3.3.1 Polyvinyl acetate - Polyvinyl acetate latexes
are Type I adhesives and are usually formulated with a
plasticizer such as dibutyl phthalate or dipropyl glycol
dibenzoate. The plasticizers are added to decrease the
minimum film-forming temperature (MFFT). This type
of adhesive is usually made in a polyvinyl alcohol surfactant system and is available both in the latex form
and as a redispersible powder. Water resistance of such
adhesives is suspect because of hydrolysis of the polyvinyl acetate. Films of the latex are redispersible.
3.3.2 Vinyl acetate copolymers - Copolymers of vinyl acetate with such materials as butyl acrylate, ethylene, and the vinyl ester of versatic acid are Type I adhesives but can also be used as Type II adhesives. They
are generally made in polyvinyl alcohol surfactant systems and are available in latex and redispersible powder forms. Their water resistance is much better than

ACI COMMITTEE REPORT

503.5R-10

that of polyvinyl acetate, both because the comonomer

reduces the hydrolysis of the vinyl acetate grouping,
and because the resultant product is not as water soluble as polyvinyl alcohol. The water resistance of such
polymers will depend on the type and ratio of comonomer to vinyl acetate. The comonomer also causes a
reduction in the minimum film forming temperature,
which eliminates the need for addition of plasticizers.
When used as Type II adhesives, bond strengths
(ASTM C 1042) usually exceed 1000 psi (6.9 MPa).
This value is slightly lower than most other Type II latex adhesives. It has been postulated32 that these lower
values may be caused by the larger particle size of such
latexes.
3.3.3 - Polyacrylic esters and acrylic copolymers Polyacrylic ester latexes, such as polyethyl acrylate, and
acrylic copolymer latexes are Type II latex adhesives.
They are generally made using primarily a nonionic
surfactant system. They could be used as Type I adhesives, but this is not recommended because the dried
film are usually not redispersible. If the latex dries before placement of the fresh concrete, the dried film can
act as a bond breaker rather than as an adhesive. Glass
transition temperatures for such latexes are normally
less than 18 F (10 C). Low levels (less than 2 percent)
of reactive groups, such as vinyl carboxylic acids, may
be incorporated in the polymerization of these polymer
latexes. These groups can improve adhesion by ionic
reaction with metallic radicals in the surface of the
fresh concrete. However, it has been observed that such
groups may retard the initial hydration of the hydraulic
cement.
3.3.4 Styrene-butadiene copolymers - Styrene-butadiene copolymer latexes are Type II adhesives. They
could be used as Type I adhesives but are not recommended for this category, because their films are not
redispersible. In addition, their surfactant system is
primariIy of the nonionic type. Small levels of reactive
groups, such as vinyl carboxylic acids, can be incorporated in the polymerization. Such groups can improve
adhesion and latex stability, but may also retard the initial hydration of the hydraulic cement.
CHAPTER 4 - ADHESIVE SELECTION
CRITERIA

This chapter describes the factors that can be important in choosing an adhesive for a specific application.
4.1 - Type and magnitude of loads
For permanent adhesive bonds the adhesive should
be able to transfer loads to the same degree as the
structural elements that are bonded together. For each
load a determination should be made of:
l Direction (tension, compression, shear, flexure)
l Rate (static, dynamic)
l Duration
l Frequency
Most often data are available only for a single load
rate while information on creep, fatigue, or dynamic
loading is not available. For very critical adhesive applications, if adequate test data are not available, a test
program should be conducted that simulates the load

conditions expected. Alternately, field experience of an

adhesive under similar service and environmental conditions can indicate the suitability of a polymer adhesive for a particular use.
4.2 - Conditions during application
Equally as important as the strength characteristics
of the adhesive is whether it can be installed to provide
the strengths that are achieved in controlled laboratory
tests. Factors that affect the installation and that the
adhesive must be able to tolerate are described in the
following sections.
4.2.1 Surface contamination - The presence of oils,
greases, chemicals, dirt, dust, or any other foreign materials can interfere with achieving a good bond. If a
foreign substance cannot be completely removed the
adhesive chosen must be able to tolerate its presence.
This tolerance can be demonstrated only by testing under the specific applications and service conditions expected.13-14
4.2.2 Temperature of the contact surfaces - The
temperature of the contact surfaces and of the adhesive, when it is applied during the curing period of the
adhesive, will affect the rate of bond-strength development. Low temperatures may make the adhesive too
viscous to apply properly. High temperatures may
cause the adhesive to gel before it can be properly
placed and the substrates joined.
4.2.3 Wetness of the substrates - The presence of
water can seriously affect the ability of adhesives to
bond to concrete or other construction materials. If
there is any chance that the surfaces to be bonded together will be damp, have residual water on them, or be
submerged, the adhesive specified must be compatible
with moisture to achieve the required bond strength.
4.2.4 Surface accessibility - The accessibility of the
surfaces to be bonded may dictate an adhesive with a
long working time. The length of time that external
supports for bonded elements may be in place during
the curing of the adhesive can also influence the selection of the adhesive.
CHAPTER 5 - ADHESIVES FOR BONDING OF

HARDENED CONCRETE TO HARDENED

CONCRETE
Polymer adhesives are frequently used in segmental
construction to bond together broken concrete, and to
attach elements such as facades to concrete structures.
In most critical situations the adhesive bond is used in
conjunction with mechanical attachments, with reinforcing steel, or with tendons which cross the bond line.
5.1 - Important application characteristics
5.1.1 Viscosity and thixotropy - An adhesive for
bonding hardened concrete to hardened concrete must
be viscous and thixotropic enough not to run out of the
bond line prior to forming a gel. It must also be applied in a thickness that will completely fill any irregularities that exist between the surfaces to be bonded.
Except for match cast segments, the bond line between
concrete elements is seldom uniform.

POLYMER ADHESIVES

5.1.2 Working life -The working life should be adequate to allow placing, positioning, and aligning the
concrete elements to be bonded. In bonding large segments, especially where several segments are assembled
at one time, a working life of many hours is necessary.
Once the working life has expired but before cure has
taken place, the concrete elements cannot be realigned
or adjusted without significantly reducing the bond
strength that would be realized on full cure.
5.1.3 Cure time - When choosing an adhesive for its
curing time, the working life requirements described in
Section 5.1.2 must be considered since cure time and
working life for polymer adhesives are related.
5.1.4 Bond-line thickness - Recommended bond-line
thickness requirements vary from one adhesive to another. In general, however, the strength of unreinforced joints decreases as the bond line thickness increases.
5.2 - Important bond-strength considerations
Although the published bond strengths for polymer
adhesives may appear to be adequate for a specific
hardened concrete to hardened concrete application,
the effects of high ambient temperatures (Sections 2.3.6
and 2.3.7) must be considered, especially if reinforcement does not pass through the adhesive joint.
CHAPTER 6 - ADHESIVES FOR BONDING
PLASTIC CONCRETE TO HARDENED
CONCRETE
Polymer adhesives provide a better bond of plastic
concrete to hardened concrete than can be obtained by
relying on the cement itself or on a cement slurry, because polymer adhesives shrink less than cement paste
upon curing, and because they tolerate a wider range of
moisture conditions in the plastic concrete and the
hardened substrate.
The primary use of all types of water-borne adhesives with concrete is to bond plastic concrete to hardened concrete. The only solvent-free adhesives used for
bonding plastic concrete to hardened concrete are epoxy adhesives because, unlike other solvent-free adhesives, they can be readily formulated to cure and bond
in the presence of water.
6.1 - Important application considerations
6.1.1 Viscosity and thixotropy - Most applications
of bonding fresh concrete to existing concrete are on
relatively large areas.
To place the adhesive economically, it is desirable to
use an adhesive that is sufficiently low in viscosity to be
sprayed or applied by a roller or squeegee. However, if
the surface is rough, as it would be from only rough
trowelling or chipping, the adhesive must have enough
thixotropy to maintain a uniform bond line thickness
without draining away from the high spots and into the
low spots. For vertical surfaces, the adhesive must be
able to stand without running off.
6.1.2 Working life - The working life of an adhesive used for bonding fresh concrete must be long
enough to allow workers time to place the concrete before the adhesive gels. This is especially important in

503.5R-11

large concrete placements, or when the adhesively

bonded concrete must be placed in forms.
6.1.3 Cure time - With solvent-free adhesives, there
must be a proper balance between adhesive curing time
and concrete curing time. If the adhesive cures before
the shrinkage in the curing concrete takes place, the
concrete at the interface can be weakened enough to
result in immediate bond failure, even without external
loads. If the adhesive cures too slowly, it may not have
the strength in its uncured state to resist curling caused
by curing shrinkage of large thin section concrete
placements which are unrestrained. A modified ASTM
Test Method C 882 can provide assurance that the
proper balance of cure rates exist. It is vital, of course,
that the specific adhesive and concrete mixture to be
used in the field application rather than the mortar mix
specified for use in ASTM C 882 be used in the laboratory tests. Additionally, the 3 x 6 in. cylinder size
specified in ASTM C 882 may have to be increased to
provide a cylinder diameter to large aggregate ratio
greater than three to one as prescribed in ASTM C 192.
For general construction, epoxy adhesives conforming
to ASTM C 881 have been found to be adequate.
6.1.4 Bond tine thickness - There are wide variations in the recommendation of manufacturers regarding application rate which in turn determines bond-line
thickness. Rough surfaces actually have greater true
surface areas than smooth surfaces of the same dimensions. For epoxy adhesives, application rates should be
between 25 and 100 ft2/gaI. (0.61 and 2.45 m2/1), depending upon the surface profile. The maximum bondline thickness for water-borne adhesives is limited by
their viscosity.
6.1.5 Water sensitivity - By the very nature of the
process of bonding fresh concrete, the adhesive must
tolerate water prior to cure of the adhesive. There are
wide variations in the sensitivity to water from one adhesive to another, even among those used to bond fresh
concrete. There are also great differences in the amount
of water present in different concrete mixtures. The
only way to be absolutely sure of bond strength capability is to conduct one test, such as a modified ASTM
C 882, using the specific adhesive and concrete mixture
(see Section 6.1.3). For general construction applications, materials conforming to ASTM C 881 or ASTM
C 1059 have proven to be satisfactory.
6.2 - Important bond-strength considerations
Epoxy adhesives provide higher bond strengths than
water-borne adhesives. In thicker bond lines, epoxy adhesives, as opposed to water-borne adhesives, can bond
to a greater surface area of the larger aggregate. As an
example, ASTM C 881 requires a minimum slant-shear
strength of 1500 psi (10.3 MPa) for an epoxy adhesive
while ASTM C 1059 requires a minimum of 400 psi (2.8
MPa) for Type I and 1250 psi (8.6 MPa) for Type II
water-borne adhesives.
CHAPTER 7 - ADHESIVES FOR REPAIR OF
CRACKS IN CONCRETE

Epoxy adhesives are the most common adhesives

503.5R-12

ACI COMMITTEE REPORT

used for crack repair. They are usually introduced into

cracks by injection. High-molecular-weight methacrylates are also used on some flat surface applications by
flooding the surface with adhesive, and they have been
used occasionally to inject into fine cracks because of
their low viscosity. Polyesters and latex-cement slurries
have been used very infrequently with either application method18,21
7.1 - Important application considerations
7.1.1 Viscosity and thixotropy - Low viscosity is required for adhesives to penetrate cracks without using
high injection pressure. Typical viscosities for liquid
epoxy injection adhesives range from 100 to 500 cps at
77 F (25 C). High-molecular-weight methacrylates have
viscosities in the range of 15 to 20 cps at 77 F (25 C).
However, if injection adhesives with viscosities lower
than 100 cps are used the adhesive can penetrate into
the concrete so far that it leaves a starved bond line. In
this case, there must be a continual reservoir of adhesive available to the crack until the adhesive gels fill to
the bond line. Liquid adhesives without thixotropic
properties will also drain out of a crack, even into
subgrades, if all faces of the crack are not sealed prior
to filling the crack. For cracks where all faces cannot be
sealed, a thixotropic or psuedoplastic adhesive should
be used which will stay in the crack without constraint.
7.1.2 Water sensitivity during cure - All cracks in
concrete that is outdoors should be assumed to have
water in them unless there is evidence to the contrary.
An adhesive that will bond in the presence of water
should be used whenever water is present in the crack.
Conformance with ASTM C 881 Type IV or ASTM C
1059 will assure that a satisfactory adhesive is chosen.
For adhesive injection into cracks underwater, no standard tests exist. Special laboratory or field tests should
be conducted to qualify an adhesive for underwater injection. ASTM C 882 has been used for this purpose by
fabricating the test specimens underwater.
7.1.3 Concrete temperature - Cracks in concrete
open and close as the temperature of the concrete
changes. If a crack cannot be injected while it is in its
widest position, an injection adhesive should be chosen
that cures fast enough to resist the tensile forces that
result when the crack widens from temperature change.
7.2 - Important strength considerations
7.2.2 Limitations- Adhesive bonding of cracked
concrete may not be permanent if the original cause of
the crack is not eliminated. For example, if overloads
continue to exist or if foundations continue to settle,
the concrete structure will probably crack again in the
vicinity of the original crack. Factors such as these
should be considered before repairing the original
cracks.
7.2.2 Flexibility -The use of a low modulus flexible
adhesive in a crack will not allow any significant movement of the concrete structure for the reasons cited in
Section 2.3.2. The effective modulus of elasticity of a
flexible adhesive in a crack is substantially the same as
that of a rigid adhesive.15

7.2.3 Creep resistance - Frequently the adhesive in

a bonded crack will be subjected to sustained loads.
These loads may be external or they may be caused by
restraints on a structure that is undergoing cyclic temperature changes. Unless it can be determined that the
adhesive in a crack will not be subject to sustained
loads, an adhesive conforming to ASTM, C 88 1 Type IV
should be used.
CHAPTER 8 - ADHESIVES FOR BONDING
INSERTS INTO CONCRETE
Solvent-free polymer adhesives have been widely used
to bond or grout anchorages and reinforcing steel into
concrete. This procedure avoids the difficulties of
maintaining the location of an insert during a concrete
placement, and allows placement when the location has
not been decided prior to the concrete setting of the
concrete.
Glass capsules containing both the resin and the initiator or curing agent have been widely used to bond
anchors in concrete. The two components are separated in the capsule as supplied by the manufacturer.
The capsule is placed in the hole in the concrete; as the
anchor is inserted and twisted, the capsule breaks and
the adhesive is mixed.
8.1 - Important application considerations
8.1.1 Viscosity and thixotropy - For vertical holes
with the opening upward, a liquid adhesive can be used.
A liquid adhesive requires less time to place than a
paste or thixotropic or psuedoplastic adhesive, and it is
much less likely to trap air in the bond line. For vertical overhead and horizontal holes, a thixotropic or
psuedoplastic paste adhesive is more suitable because it
will not require containment to keep it from running
out of the hole. However, it must be capable of being
pumped from the bottom (back) of the hole toward the
front of the hole to avoid trapping air bubbles in the
bond line. Air bubbles would reduce contact area and
result in a weakened bond.
8.1.2 Hole diameter - Hole diameters normally used
are 0.125 to 0.5 in. (3.2 to 12.7 mm) greater than the
bolt, dowel, or insert diameter. In all cases, the smaller
the annulus between the insert diameter and the hole
diameter, the lower the possibility of creep failure. As
the annulus dimension increases, the potential for creep
failure under constant load increases. (See Section
2.3.7.)
8.1.3 Hole depth and spacing - To develop the full
strength of a steel anchor or a reinforcing bar, as opposed to inducing a failure in the concrete, the steel
should generally be embedded to a minimum depth of
ten times its diameter.
Anchor spacing should allow a sufficient quantity of
anchors to transfer the desired loads from the attached
members without development of excessive stress interaction through the concrete between the anchors. For
specific guidelines for hole depth and spacing for steel
anchorages, see ACI 349, Code Requirements for
Nuclear Safety Related Concrete Structures, Appendix B, Steel Embedments.30,34

POLYMER ADHESIVES

8.2 - Important strength considerations

8.2.1 pullout strength- Pullout strength is generally determined by applying an axial tensile load to the
anchorage until tensile failure occurs. The ability of the
concrete-anchor system to develop full pullout strength
of the anchor as determined by ASTM E 488 depends
mostly on the bond strength of the adhesive and the
cleanliness of the hole. This test evaluates the ability of
the adhesive to bond and cure under the conditions of
moisture and surface preparation actually encountered
in application.
8.2.2 Creep resistance- Many inserts that are
bonded into concrete are put under a constant load.
Examples are fixtures being hung from anchorages and
torqued anchor bolts. Therefore, creep resistance
should be carefully considered (see Section 2.3.7). For
critical applications pre-testing of a mockup is recommended because no standard test methods are currently
available.
CHAPTER 9 - ADHESIVES FOR BONDING
CONCRETE AND OTHER MATERIALS
Epoxy and some polyester adhesives are commonly
used for bonding steel in the form of inserts (see Section 8), external28,29,35or internal36 reinforcement, and
protection plates. For other construction materials such
as aluminum, wood, glass, rubber, and plastics, a wider
variety of adhesives is required because of the very different characteristics of each of these materials.
9.1 - Important application considerations
There are innumerable combinations of types of adhesive and types of construction materials that can be
bonded to concrete. Which application conditions are
important depends on which combination is used. Since
each application is unique, there is little information
available except in the manufacturers literature. Standard test methods do not exist. For critical applications, special tests must be designed unless field experience for the exact combination of adhesive and
material to be bonded to concrete can be demonstrated
for the same service conditions. Some of the more
common factors to consider are listed in the following
paragraphs for the general classes of construction materials.
9.1.1 Steel- If it is necessary to hold a steel plate in
place while the adhesive cures, care must be taken not
to stress the steel with the application of clamps that
wiIl be removed once the adhesive cures. Because of the
much higher modulus of elasticity of the steel compared to the polymer adhesive, the steel can exert
stresses on the bond line that exceed the strength of the
adhesive. Even if the adhesive does not fail immediately upon removal of the clamps, constant stresses will
be built into the bond line, which can cause creep failure at a later time.
Because of its high heat capacity, changes in steel
temperature can lag behind changes in atmospheric
temperature and cause condensation of water vapor on
the surface of the steel. Particular attention should be

503.5R-13

paid to providing a dry surface. If a dry surface cannot

be assured, an adhesive should be chosen that will bond
to wet steel.
Steel that is exposed to the sun may reach temperatures as high as 170 F (77 C). The working life of an
adhesive applied to a steel surface may be much shorter
than would be expected if the ambient temperature or
the adhesive temperature in the mixing container is used
to predict working life.
9.1.2. Wood - The wide variety of chemical, density, and grain characteristics of the many woods used
in construction makes it impossible to generalize on the
suitability of a type of polymer adhesive for bonding
wood. The particular adhesive and wood combination
should be tested at the wood moisture content that is
expected when the adhesive is applied. Changes in
moisture content that cause the wood to shrink or swell
after the adhesive has cured will stress the bond line
and can cause failure of the wood fibers.
Standard laboratory tests are not available either for
bonding wood to concrete or for the effect of changes
in the moisture content of wood.
9.1.3 Glass - The brittle nature of glass requires that
an adhesive be used that will minimize stresses at the
bond line caused by temperature changes or external
forces. For this reason, only silicone and polysulfide
materials are usually used for bonding glass to concrete.
Particular attention should be paid to the surface
condition of the glass, because any film of oil or other
foreign substance that may not be visible can interfere
with the bond.
9.1.4 Plastics, reinforced plastics, and rubber There is wide variation in chemical and physical properties among the different rubber and plastic materials.
Because the surface energy of most rubber and plastics
is much lower than that of steel or concrete, they are
much more difficult to bond with polymer adhesives. In
many cases, the surface must be oxidized or otherwise
chemically treated to provide a bondable surface. In the
bond of a flexible plastic or rubber to concrete, the adhesive can be subjected to peel forces when the plastic
or rubber substrate is loaded in a manner that tends to
deform the substrate at the bond line. For this reason,
only silicone, polyurethane, and very low-modulus epoxy adhesives are usually used to bond flexible plastics
or rubber to concrete.
Some rubber and plastic materials contain nonreactive plasticizers used to enhance their physical propertics. The presence of the plasticizer on the surface can
prevent a good bond from being achieved. Migration of
the plasticizer to the bond line after the adhesive is
cured and bonded can cause deterioration of the adhesive bond.
9.1.5 Aluminum - Because of the rapid formation
of oxide on a freshly abraded aluminum surface, aluminum is usually prepared for adhesive bonding by
treatment with a chromic-sulphuric acid mixture or by
anodizing if a long lasting corrosion resistant bond is
desired. In either case, an adhesive primer is used if
maximum corrosion resistance is required.

503.5R-14

ACI COMMITTEE REPORT

CHAPTER 10 - QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE

I
for
CY!zzY?
adhesives
Plastic concrete
to cured concrete
Cured concrete to
cured concrete
Cracked concrete
Cured concrete to
other materials
with similar CTE
and EM
Cured concrete to
other materials
with dissimilar
CTE and EM
Anchoring bolts

Performance requirements of adhesives

BA%fi?
Above Below

(lz!R!&
E

ifZh
2000 psi
(13.8 MPa)

E,S&;;

E.P,iif ,PP,

E,P,M

S
E,P,M,SB
PAE
E,P,M,PP
S

E,P,M
E,P,M

Temperature
resistance

Water resistance

B3e:oFw

%r;

(0 C)

(49 C)

Moisture
E,PAE,SB,
VAE

Submerged
E

E,P,M,PP,
PP

E,P,M,
PP

E,P,M
PP,S

E,P,M

E,P,M

E,P,M

E,P,M

E,M

E,P,M

E,P,M

%$A

z$*
E

E,PP

E,PP,S

E,PP

E,PP

E,PP

E,PP

E,P,M

E,P,M

E,P,M

E,P,M

E,P,M

E,P,M

Application requirements of adhesives

Temperature
Water resistance
Coz%Y#: for
adhesives
Plastic concrete
to cured concrete
Cured concrete to
cured concrete
Cracked concrete
Cured concrete to
other materials
with similar CME
and EM
Cured concrete to
other materials
with dissimilar
CTE and EM
Anchoring bolts

E,PAE,SB,PVA,VAC

Submerged
substrate
-

7zw
(0 C)
-

;kii
(38 C)
-

Ability to
flow into
narrow voids
-

E.M

E,P,M

E,SB,PAE
E

E
E

E,M
E,M

E,P,M
E,P,M

E,P,M
-

E,PP

E,PP

E,M

E,P,M

Moist
substrate

~BBREVV;TlONS:
K
PP
S
PAE
SB
PVA
FXE
VAC

Polyester
Methylmethacrylate monomer
Polysulfide and polyurethane
Silicone
Acrylic latex
Styrene-butadiene latex
Polyvinyl acetate latex
Coefficient of thermal expansion
Elastic modulus
Vinyl acetate copolymer latexes

E,PP

E,P,M

CAUTION:

The listing of a particular type of adhesive as suitable for an adhesive

requirement indicates that many adhesive products of that type meet the
requirement. It does not mean that all adhesives of that type meet the
application or performance requirement.
The purpose of the chart is to guide the designer to a generally appropriate
adhesive type but the designer must verify that the specified adhesive product
meets the performance and application requirement of each particular project.

POLYMER ADHESIVES

CHAPTER 11 - REFERENCES
11.1 - Specified and/or recommended
references
The documents of the various standards-producing
organizations referred to in this document are listed
with their serial designation, including year of adoption or revision. The documents listed were the latest
effort at the time this document was revised. Since
some of these documents are revised frequently, generally in minor detail only, the user of this document
should check directly with the sponsoring group if it is
desired to refer to the latest revision.

American Concrete Institute

224.1R-84
503R
503.1-79
(Revised 1986)

503.2-79
(Revised 1986)

Causes, Evaluation, and Repair of

Cracks in Concrete Structures
Use of Epoxy Compounds With
Concrete
Standard Specification for Bonding
Hardened Concrete, Steel, Wood,
Brick and Other Materials to Hardened Concrete With a Multi-Component Epoxy Adhesive
Standard Specification for Bonding
Plastic Concrete to Hardened Concrete With a Multi-Component Epoxy Adhesive

ASTM
C 192-88

Specification for Making and Curing

Concrete Test Specimens in the Laboratory
C 881-87
Specification for Epoxy Resin-Base
Bonding Systems for Concrete
C 882-87
Test Method for Bond Strength of
Epoxy Resin Systems Used With
Concrete
C 1042-85
Test Method for Bond Strength of
Latex Systems Used With Concrete
C 1059-86
Specification for Latex Agents for
Binding Fresh to Hardened Concrete
D 570-81
Test Method for Water Absorption
of Plastics
D 638-89
Test Method for Tensile Properties
of Plastics
D 648-82 (1988) Test Method for Deflection Temperature of Plastics Under Flexural
Load
D 695-89
Test Method for Compressive Properties of Rigid Plastics
E 488-88
Test Method for Strength of Anchors in Concrete and Masonry Units
These publications may be obtained from the following organizations:
American Concrete Institute
P. 0. Box 19150
Detroit, MI 48219-0150
ASTM
1916 Race Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103

503.5R-15

11.2 - Cited references

1. Adams, Robert D., and Wake, William C., Structural Adhesive
Joints in Engineering, Elsevier Applied Science Publishers, Essex,
1984, pp. 8-13.
2. Skeist, Irving, Handbook of Adhesives, 2nd Edition, Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York, 1977, Introduction to Adhesives, by I. Skeist and J. Miron, pp. 3-4.
3. Lee, Henry, and Neville, Kris, Handbook of Epoxy Resins, McGraw-HiIl Book Company, New York, 1967, pp. 25-7-25-I 1.
4. Skeist, Irving, Handbook of Adhesives, 2nd Edition, Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York, 1977, Introduction to Adhesives, by I. Skeist and J. Miron, pp. 6-3-6-4.
5. Modern Plastics Encyclopedia, McGraw Hill, New York, 1989,
pp. 129-132: 134-135.
6. Kinloch, A. J., Structural Adhesives - Developments in Resins
and Primers, Elsevier Applied Sciences Publishers, London and New
York, 1986, Curing Properties of Thermosetting Polymers, by J.
K. Gillham, pp . l-6.
7. Rodriguez, Ferdinand, Principles of Polymer Systems, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1970, pp. 53-55; 62-65.
8. Eirich, Frederich R., Rheology Theory and Applications, Academic Press, New York and London, 1960, pp. 205-215.
9. Rodriguez, Ferdinand, Principles of Polymer Systems, McGraw-HiIl, New York, 1970, pp. 53-55, 62-65.
10. Skeist, Irving, Handbook of Adhesives, 2nd Edition, Van
Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York, 1977, Introduction to
Adhesives, Chapter 6, by F. A. Lewis and R. Saxon, pp. 400-403.
11. Lee, Henry, and Neville, Kris, Handbook of Epoxy Resins,
McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, 1967, pp. 6-29-6-30, 2128-21-39.
12. Wake, William C., Adhesion and the Formulation of Adhesives, Applied Science Publishers, London and New York, 1982, pp.
46. 122-124.
13. Murray, Myles A., Surface Preparation for Adhesives,
Concrete International, V. 11, No. 9, Sept. 1988, p. 69.
14. Gaul, Robert W., Preparing Concrete Surfaces for Coatings, Concrete International, V. 6, No. 7, July 1984, pp. 17-22.
15. Adams, Robert D., and Wake, William C., Structural Adhesive Joints in Engineering, Elsevier Applied Science Publishers, Essex, 1984, pp. 121-125.
16. May, Clayton A., and Tanaka, Yoshio, Epoxy Resins, Chemistry and Technology, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, 1973, pp. 400407.
17. Lee, Henry, and Neville, Kris. Handbook of Epoxy Resins,
McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, 1967, pp. 6-25-6-27.
18. Gaul, Robert W., State-of-the Art Adhesives for Concrete
Construction, Construction Canada, V. 30, No. 3, May 1988, pp.
15-20.
19. Adams, Robert D., and Wake, William C., Structural Adhesive Joints in Engineering, Elsevier Applied Science Publishers, Essex, 1984, pp. 160-162.
20. Plecnik, Joseph M.; Plecnik, John; Parra, Victor; and Diba,
Ahmad, Fire Testing Epoxies, Concrete International, V. 8, No.
4, Apr. 1984, p. 29.
21. Plecnik, Joseph; Plecnik, John; Diba, Ahmad; Howard, Jeff;
and Hiremagular, J., Fire Research on Seismically Damaged Concrete Beams Repaired with Epoxy Adhesives, Final Report, Contract No. PFR-7927222, National Science Foundation, Washington,
D.C., Aug. 18, 1983.
22. Struk, L. C. E., Physical Aging in Amorphous Polymers and
Other Materials, Elsevier Scientific Publishing Co., Amsterdam,
1978, pp. l-46.
23. Schonbacher, H., How Plastics Perform Under Nuclear Radiation, Modern Plastics, Dec. 1985, pp. 64-68.
24. Van de Voorde, Milt, and Restat, C., Selecting Guide to Organic Materials for Nuclear Engineering, Organisation Europeenne
pour la Recherche Nucleaire, Geneva, 1972.
25. How Radiation Affects Polymers, Rubber and Plastic
Processing, May-June 1963, pp. 23-24.
26. Modern Plastics Encyclopedia 89, McGraw Hill, New York,
Oct. 1988, V. 65, No. 11, pp. 576619.
27. Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, V. I, John Wiley &
Sons, New York, 1978, p. 503.

503.5R-16

ACI COMMITTEE REPORT

28. Mays, G. C.,, Structural Applications of Adhesives in Civil

Engineering, Materials Science and Technology V. 1, Nov. 1985,
pp. 937-942.
29. Albrecht, P.; Sahli, A.; Crute, D.; Albrecht, Ph.; and Evans,
B., Application of Adhesives to Steel Bridges, FHWA/RD 87/037,
Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Dept. of Transportation,
Nov. 1984.
30. ASTM C 1059, "Standard Specification for Latex Agents
for Bonding Fresh to Hardened Conrete," ASTM International, West

Renovated by Post Reinforcement and Thin Bonded Concrete Overlay, Concrete Construction, Aug. 1984, pp. 705-709.
37. Seymor, Raymond B.; Plastics Versus Corrosives, John Wiley
& Sons, New York, 1982, pp. 147-262.
38. May, Clayton A., and Tanaka, Yoshio, Epoxy Resins, Chemistry and Technology, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, 1973, p. 347.

Conshohocken, Pa., 1999, 2 pp.

Calder, A. J. J., Exposure Tests on Externally Reinforced Concrete Beams - First Two Years, Supplementary Report 529 Transport and Road Research Laboratory, Crowthorne, 1979.
Cook, John Philip, and Panek, Julia R., Construction Sealants and
Adhesives, 2nd Ed., John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1984, pp. 295297.
Hugenschmidt, F., Epoxy Adhesives for Concrete and Steel,
Proceedings, First International Congress on Polymer Concretes,
London, May 1975.
Luke, Philip Chi Chung, Strength and Behavior of Rebar Dowels
Epoxy-Bonded in Hardened Concrete, thesis, Graduate School of
Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, 1984.
Plecnick, Joseph M.; Gaul, Robert W.; Pham, Mai; Cousins,
Thomas; and Howard, Jeff, Epoxy Penetration, Concrete International, V. 8, No. 2, Feb. 1986, pp. 46-50.
Tii, A., and Krokosky, E. M., Effect of Radiation on Some
Mechanical Properties of an Epoxy System, Journal of Materials,
JMCSA, V. 6, No. 2, June 1971, pp. 465481.

31. Walters, D. G., What are Latexes? Concrete International,

V. 9, No. 12, Dec. 1987, pp. 4447.
32. Walters, D. G., Latex Adhesives for Bonding Concrete, Paper presented at the American Concrete Institutes Fall Convention,
Houston, TX, Nov. 3.1988.
33. Ohama, Y., Polymer-Modified Mortars and Concretes,
Chapter 7 of Concrete Admixtures Handbook, V. S. Ramachandran,
Noyes Publications, 1984.
34. Cannon, R. W.; Godfrey, D. A.; and Moreadith, F. C.,
Guide to the Design of Anchor Bolts and Other Steel Embedments, Concrete International July 1981, pp. 28-41.
35. Jones, R.; Swamy, R. N.; Blorham, J.; and Beuderbalah, A.,
Composite Behavior of Concrete Beams with Epoxy Bonded External Reinforcements, International Journal of Cement Composites,
V. 2, No. 2, May 1980.
36. Stratton, Wayne F., and Crumpton, Carl F., Kansas Bridges

11.3 - Additional references

ACI 503.5R-92 was submitted to letter ballot of the committee and

approved in accordance with ACI standardization procedures.