How to deal with surface bubbles after concrete pavement construction?

 Surface treatment

- Mechanical surface treatment: Use a trowel to smooth the surface before the concrete is initially set. The rotation and extrusion of the trowel make the concrete surface more compact, squeeze out some bubbles from the surface, and make the surface smoother. The speed and pressure of the trowel should be controlled during operation to avoid excessive pressure causing water seepage or segregation on the concrete surface.
- Manual surface treatment: For corners that are difficult to reach with mechanical surface treatment or areas with many local bubbles, manual surface treatment with a trowel is required. Manual surface treatment can trim the concrete surface more carefully, gently crush the bubbles and evenly cover the bubble marks with surface mortar. During the surface treatment process, pay attention to the angle and strength of the trowel, and try to make the surface treatment smooth and uniform.

 Secondary vibration

- After the concrete is poured, when a small amount of water seeps out of the concrete surface and it has not yet set, perform secondary vibration. Use a vibrating rod to vibrate the concrete surface. The vibration time should not be too long. Generally, it is appropriate to stop bubbles from appearing on the concrete surface and to seep out cement slurry. Secondary vibration can further expel the bubbles inside the concrete, while enhancing the compactness of the concrete and improving the quality of the concrete surface. However, be careful to avoid inserting the vibrating rod too deep to damage the formed concrete structure.

 Needle puncture exhaust

- For larger bubbles, you can use a steel needle or other sharp tools to puncture the bubbles before the concrete sets to expel the gas. Then use a trowel to gently compact the punctured bubble area so that the surrounding concrete mortar fills the gaps left by the bubbles. Needle puncture exhaust should be performed in time to avoid bubbles from forming obvious holes or defects after the concrete hardens.

 Surface repair

- If bubbles on the concrete surface still leave obvious marks or small potholes after finishing, you can repair the surface after the concrete has finally set. First, clean the surface of the repaired area to remove dust, debris, etc. Then, according to the color and mix ratio of the concrete, mix an appropriate amount of repair material, such as cement mortar or a special concrete repair agent. Apply the repair material to the bubble marks and smooth it with a trowel to make it smooth and consistent with the surrounding concrete surface. After repair, pay attention to the maintenance of the repaired area to avoid the repair material from losing water and drying too quickly and causing cracks.

 Maintenance treatment

- Reasonable maintenance is also important to reduce the impact of bubbles on the concrete surface. After the concrete is poured, it should be covered with moisturizing materials such as plastic film and geotextile to prevent the water on the concrete surface from evaporating too quickly. At the same time, according to the ambient temperature and humidity, watering maintenance should be carried out in time to keep the concrete surface moist. The maintenance time is generally not less than 7 days. For important concrete pavements or large-volume concrete, the maintenance time should be appropriately extended. Good maintenance can fully hydrate the concrete, improve the strength and density of the concrete, and reduce surface defects caused by water evaporation and concrete shrinkage, including bubble-related problems.

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