PROTECTIVE COATINGS FOR CONCRETE

Sample cubes of mortar and concrete were coated with experimental formulations and various commercially available protective coatings and sealers. These were tested for water absorption by immersion for 24 hr. Only 2 experimental formulations and 14 commercial coatings of the 66 tested reduced the water absorption by 90%. Preliminary decontamination tests, in which La/sup 140/ and Np/sup 239/ were used as contaminants, indicated that coatings which showed the highest resistance to water absorption were, in general, the easiest to decontaminate. (auth)