How to Verify the Carbonation Resistance of a Manufacturer's GRC Products: Methods, Standards, and a Practical Guide

Carbonation resistance is the core line of defense for the durability of GRC materials, directly determining the service life, safety, and stability of building components. For large public buildings and outdoor landscape projects, ignoring verification of GRC carbonation resistance is tantamount to planting a "hidden time bomb" in the building. As a Qinglong manufacturer with 28 years of deep expertise in the UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP field, we understand the significance of carbonation resistance to a project's long-term value. Drawing on our experience participating in drafting the Technical Standard for Application of Glass Fibre Reinforced Cement (GRC) in Building (JGJ/T423-2018), we have compiled a professional verification guide for owners and designers.

I. Anchor on Authoritative Standards to Define the Benchmark for Verifying GRC Carbonation Resistance

To verify the carbonation resistance of GRC products, industry standards must first serve as the core basis. The current Technical Standard for Application of Glass Fibre Reinforced Cement (GRC) in Building (JGJ/T423-2018) clearly specifies the carbonation test method and compliance indicators for GRC materials: through an accelerated carbonation test, after 28 days of curing at a temperature of 20±2°C, a relative humidity of 70±5%, and a carbon dioxide concentration of 20±3%, the carbonation depth should be no greater than 10mm, and the flexural strength retention rate after carbonation must be ≥80%. As a Qinglong GRC manufacturer that participated in revising this standard, we recommend that owners, when selecting products, require manufacturers to provide test reports issued by authoritative third-party institutions confirming compliance with this standard—this is the basic threshold for verifying carbonation resistance.

II. Apply Scientific Methods to Verify GRC's True Carbonation Resistance from Multiple Dimensions

Beyond laboratory reports, comprehensive verification also requires practical methods. On one hand, you can ask manufacturers to show the full-process data of accelerated carbonation tests, including carbonation depth test records at different cycles and strength change curves, rather than only the final report. On the other hand, conduct on-site inspections of manufacturers' outdoor GRC projects completed more than 3 years ago—such as a municipal landscape project in Nanning and a commercial complex project in Saudi Arabia undertaken by Qinglong—and verify the carbonation depth through on-site core sampling to directly confirm the material's long-term carbonation resistance. Designers can also pay attention to GRC compactness: Qinglong GRC enhances component compactness through a high-pressure spraying process, reducing the carbonation rate at its source, which is also a core guarantee of carbonation resistance.

III. Focus on Manufacturer Strength to Control GRC Carbonation Resistance Quality at the Source

The carbonation resistance of GRC is essentially a reflection of the manufacturer's overall strength. A reliable GRC manufacturer will start from the full chain of raw materials, processes, and quality control: for example, Qinglong GRC uses low-alkali sulphoaluminate cement combined with high-quality alkali-resistant glass fibre to reduce the carbonation reaction rate at the raw material level; the production process employs automated vibration and curing techniques to ensure components are dense and pore-free internally; and a full-process quality traceability system is established, with carbonation test samples retained for every batch of products. For owners and developers, choosing a GRC manufacturer like Qinglong—one with national high-tech enterprise qualifications that has participated in drafting industry standards—avoids the risk of substandard carbonation resistance at the source, while also providing full-chain technical support from detailed design to after-sales maintenance.

Verifying the carbonation resistance of GRC products can by no means be accomplished by a single test; it is a systematic judgment that uses standards as the yardstick, methods as the foundation, and manufacturer strength as the core. As a professional manufacturer with 28 years in the industry, Qinglong GRC has always made durability a core product indicator. Through full-chain technical control, we provide every project with GRC solutions that combine aesthetic appeal with long-term stability, helping buildings endure and stay ever new.