Investigação sobre as degradações em pisos de concreto na região que circunda os comedouros em granjas de suínos

Abstract

Swine farming plays a significant role in the production of animal protein. In this context, the infrastructure required culminates in the demand for concrete structures exposed to environments with various levels of aggressiveness, submitted to intense degradation. Among the regions vulnerable to chemical attacks, a specific type of degradation stands out due to its dimension, recurrence, and periodicity. This degradation refers to the deterioration of concrete floors in the areas that surrounds the pig feeders in finishing pig farms. Despite the literature to contain studies on the aggressiveness of environments involved in pig production, there is a lack of research focused specifically on these areas. In practice, this type of degradation is solely attributed to the friction generated by the pigs, and palliative actions only oppose the symptoms rather than the causes of the problem. Therefore, this research focused on studying these deteriorations, with an emphasis on investigating any chemical attack on concrete associated with the involved friction. Thus, the investigation aimed to identify a chemical agent that could contribute to the degradation, determine its origin in the environment, and perform appropriate tests to strengthen this relationship. It was possible to conclude that the degradation is caused by sulfate attack, with its origin attributed to the feed used in pig farming. Additionally, it was observed that the environment exhibited constant cycles of wetting and drying, which intensified the attack. The effectiveness of the sulfate present in the feed to penetrate the concrete's pore network was confirmed through titration tests, and the interaction with concrete hydration products was demonstrated by X-ray diffraction analysis. This association linked the degradation to the progressive loss of strength and mass in the concrete caused by sulfates from the feed. This unique contribution, until now absent in the existing literature, enables approaches focused on addressing the origins of deterioration rather than just its consequences.