Applications of Polymeric Treatments in Improving Building Construction Materials Durability

The durability of building construction materials is a serious problem mainly for structures exposed to aggressive environments. Deterioration phenomena are essentially induced by the penetration of water, chemical ions (e.g. sulphates, chlorides, etc.) or aggressive gas (e.g. carbon dioxide, oxygen, etc.). Thus, the use of surface treatments based on polymeric materials that reduce the rate at which water, and any pollutants transported by it, infiltrate and move through a construction material is an effective way to prolong the service life of structures. In the last decades many polymeric resins were developed and tested as consolidating, protective, reinforcing or co-formulating agents for building construction materials. This review presents the most interesting recent progresses about the use of surface polymeric treatments in protective applications.