BRIGE: An Exploration Into Concrete Surface Preparation Using Dry Ice Bombardment

布里奇奖的研究目标是研究用干冰轰击混凝土的可行性，作为准备基底接受涂层和复合覆盖层的一种手段。具体目标是(a)检查从基材中去除腐蚀副产品的有效性，(b)确定干冰轰击是否会导致基材内部的破坏，以及(c)解释混凝土的新鲜和硬化特性如何促成这些行为。通过建立家长-学生小组，进行部分研究活动，将多样性、教育、家庭、科学结合起来。教师、家长和学生在研究中的密切参与，将使来自代表性不足群体的家庭能够接受正在研究的技术。如果成功，本研究结果将解释基材基本性质及其对清洁效果的影响之间的基本关系，以及干冰轰击造成基材损伤的可能性。通过采用完善的、科学的协议来研究这种不寻常的、尚未开发的爆破技术，也取得了重大成就。其中包括使用超声共振的无损检测（NDI）和激光扫描共聚焦显微镜（LSCM）。从环境的角度来看，干冰爆破可以减少表面准备的时间和成本，减少对周围环境和施工人员的负面影响。此外，干冰供应来自现有制造过程中二氧化碳气体副产品的回收，因此有助于其可持续性。潜在的能源相关影响可能导致未来学术界和工业界的重要研究推动力。此外，本研究的结果可以应用于其他主题领域和材料系统，如钢桥的腐蚀和含铅涂料去除，城市住房的霉菌修复，以及位于繁荣而脆弱的海洋生态系统中的木桩或桥墩的生物膜去除。

The research objective of this BRIGE award is to investigate the viability of bombarding concrete with dry ice as a means of preparing the substrate to receive coatings and composite overlay. The specific goals are to (a) examine the effectiveness of removing corrosion byproduct from substrate, (b) identify whether dry ice bombardment induces damage within the substrate, and (c) explain how the fresh and hardened properties of concrete contribute to these behaviors. Diversity, education, family, and science will be united by creating parent-student teams to carry out a portion of the research activities. Close involvement of faculty, parents, and students in research will allow families from underrepresented groups to embrace the technology being investigated. If successful, the results of this research will explain the fundamental relationships between basic substrate properties and their influence on cleaning efficacy and potential to cause substrate damage from dry ice bombardment. Significant achievement also prevails by adapting well-established, scientific protocol to investigate this unusual, yet unexplored blasting technique. Among such protocol include non-destructive inspection (NDI) using ultrasonic resonance, and Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy (LSCM). From an environmental perspective, dry ice blasting could reduce the time and cost of surface preparation as well as lessen the negative impact on the surrounding environment and personnel carrying out the construction. Moreover, the dry ice supply is derived from reclamation of CO2 gas byproduct from existing manufacturing processes, thus, contributing to its sustainability. Potential energy-related implications could lead to an important research thrust in academia and industry in the future. Furthermore, the results generated from this research could be applied to other topical areas and material systems such as corrosion and lead-based paint removal from steel bridges, mold remediation in urban housing, and biofilm removal from timber piles or bridge piers located in thriving, yet delicate, marine ecosystems.