CASE STUDY

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PORESHIELD SME-PS PROTECTS WALKWAYS AT THE INDIANA STATE FAIRGROUNDS & EVENT CENTER

PoreShield SME-PS Helps Concrete Maintain Its Durability Long-Term in a Safe and Sustainable Way

Location: United States
Date: 2019 – present
Application Type: PCCP Joint
Applicators: Indiana Soybean Alliance and Indiana State Fair

Overview

The concrete at the Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center is subject to several potential sources of damage including livestock biowaste, food/beverage waste, and freeze/thaw and salt damage for the exterior walkways and patios. PoreShield SME-PS helps protect it by preventing the moisture and ions from these hazards from getting into the concrete and causing cracking or other damage.

In July 2021, PoreShield SME-PS was first applied to concrete pavements outside the Glass Barn, a unique educational center filled with fun, interactive exhibits on Indiana farming at the Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center. This high-traffic, public area of the fairgrounds also must maintain a certain aesthetic.

Easy Application

Applied topically, PoreShield absorbs deep into concrete and creates a fluid, hydrophobic barrier inside the pore network of concrete surrounding Portland cement concrete pavement (PCCP) joints. Once absorbed into the concrete pores, PoreShield blocks fluid and ion ingress and provides long-lasting concrete protection.

During the PoreShield SME-PS application at the Glass Barn, applicators noted how easy and safe PoreShield was to apply. Matt Keller, marketing outreach manager for the Indiana Soybean Alliance, was one of the applicators who applied PoreShield SME-PS to the pavement area surrounding the facility.

Prior to the application, Keller pressure-washed the concrete slabs surrounding the facility. He and two interns returned several days later to apply PoreShield with backpack sprayers.

“It took all-in probably five hours to apply the PoreShield using backpack sprayers and cans of the product,” said Keller. “It went on easily and smoothly as we sprayed it over the surface – it was really simple.”

Extended Service Life

With a single application, PoreShield SME-PS extends the life of concrete five-to-nine times longer.

“As a first-of-its-kind technology, PoreShield SME-PS actually enhances the durability of concrete by offering protection from the inside-out,” said PoreShield Technical Lead Paul Imbrock. “Since it does not set or cure, PoreShield continuously self-seals and adjusts to new damage as it occurs, providing enhanced concrete durability for 10 or more years.”

Safe and Sustainable

As a soy-based concrete durability enhancer, PoreShield SME-PS offers safe and sustainable concrete protection. PoreShield is a nontoxic and low-odor solution for enhancing concrete durability.

“The most surprising piece of using PoreShield was the smell, or lack of a smell,” said Keller. “Opening the cans, I typically would expect to have some unpleasant odor, but this smelled like vegetable oil.”

In addition, PoreShield SME-PS is low in VOC and is safe for human health and the environment. Plus, the technology doesn’t require hazardous waste cleanup and no PPE is required.

“One of the biggest benefits of PoreShield is that it is safe for the environment and for those applying it,” said Keller. “You don’t have to worry about wearing a breathing apparatus and there’s no need to be concerned with any kind of runoff and how it affects the general public or the plant life and waterways around you.”

Additional Applications at the Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center

The facility managers at the Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center saw how it easy it was to apply PoreShield SME-PS to the pavement around the Glass Barn and were impressed by the promise of 10+ years of protection. A few months later in October 2021, the facility managers decided to apply PoreShield to other areas of the fairgrounds. This time, the application took place outside of the Farmer’s Coliseum and surrounding buildings.

“I think the ease of application and long-lasting protection really played into the facility managers’ decision to apply it in other areas of the fairgrounds,” said Keller. “It’s kind of a no-brainer to use PoreShield SME-PS and I think they saw that as well. There’s definitely a value-add for anybody who’s interested in the product.”

This communication was funded by soybean checkoff dollars.

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