What is the difference between repair and rehabilitation?
Repair techniques are used to restore the structural integrity and shape of a concrete element. For example, a balcony slab can be repaired so that it does not have any damaged concrete or unsafe indentations. Repair techniques generally include removal of damaged concrete and placement of new concrete in its place. Repair methods, however, do little to address the cause of deterioration. Therefore, in the case of reinforcing steel corrosion, simple repairs typically fail prematurely since nothing is done to mitigate or stop the primary deterioration mechanism. Rehabilitation methods, in addition to restoring structural integrity and shape, mitigate or stop the process responsible for the damage. Because rehabilitation includes addressing the cause of the problem itself, the repairs last significantly longer.
