Estudo de caso das degradações presentes em pisos de concreto que circundam comedouros e bebedouros em granjas de suínos

Abstract

Swine farming plays a significant role in animal protein production chains. In this context, the required infrastructure often involves concrete structures exposed to aggressive environments, subject to intense degradation. Among the most vulnerable areas, concrete floors near feeders and drinkers in finishing farms stand out. In practice, however, degradation is often attributed by producers solely to friction caused by the pigs, disregarding potential chemical interactions between aggressive agents and the cement paste. Thus, this work constitutes a case study that includes a comprehensive description and photographic documentation of these degradations and their progression, complemented by an investigation into the progressive loss of strength and mass of the material. The study compares the findings with existing literature and examines the hypothesis of chemical attack through laboratory analyses, which contributed to understanding the problem based on cores collected from a real structure with two years of exposure. For this purpose, cores were extracted from areas near the feeder, the drinker, and a control area opposite the feed source in a finishing pen. These cores were stratified at different depths and subjected to gravimetric tests and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Additionally, probable sources of aggressive agents were investigated, along with a discussion on the role of animal friction in the degradation processes. The results reveal ubiquitous degradation in the six structures visited, with rapid progression requiring interventions after 24 to 30 months of operation. Animal feed proved to be a source of various types of sulfates and acids capable of attacking the cement paste in these areas, forming an acidic solution with the potential to compromise the cementitious matrix. The study is complemented by an experimental program that investigated the efficiency of using a crystalline admixture in repair mortars aimed at halting degradation. After 348 days of exposure in an operating farm, visual analyses combined with gravimetric and XRD tests indicated that the crystalline admixture was not effective in preventing chemical attack. Even in scenarios where waterproofing could prevent sulfate ingress, acidic attack proved predominant. Evidence of degradation, increased porosity, and tests on collected cores indicate that the admixture did not prevent either acidic attack or sulfate ingress.