Fosroc Nitobond PC
A 2-pack, solvent-free thixotropic epoxy adhesive engineered for structural bonding of segmental concrete bridges and stone masonry joints — supplied in temperature-graded PC20/PC30/PC40 versions for year-round site application.
What is it?
A solvent-free, 2-component thixotropic epoxy resin adhesive (off-white base + black hardener mixing to grey) supplied in pre-weighed packs, conforming to FIP specifications for structural segmental bonding.
Where is it used?
Segmental construction of precast/post-tensioned concrete bridges and viaducts, match-cast segment joints, and pointing of stone masonry joints — typically on infrastructure and heavy civil projects across India.
Why use it?
It forms a high-strength, water-resistant structural joint that cures fast, tolerates damp substrates and offers excellent squeezability, letting contractors close match-cast joints quickly and keep erection cycles on schedule.
How is it applied?
Mix base and hardener with a slow-speed drill paddle to a uniform grey, trowel onto both prepared faces with a serrated trowel, then close the joint within the open time and apply post-tensioning per the design.
About Fosroc Nitobond PC
Fosroc Nitobond PC is a thixotropic, two-pack, solvent-free epoxy adhesive developed specifically for the structural bonding of match-cast concrete segments — the kind used to assemble precast box-girder bridges, viaducts and elevated corridors. Unlike general-purpose concrete bonding agents, Nitobond PC is purpose-built to form a load-bearing, water-tight joint between two precast faces that are subsequently locked together by post-tensioning. It comprises an off-white epoxy base and a black hardener, supplied in pre-weighed quantities so that the entire pack is mixed on site to a uniform grey paste, eliminating the dosing errors that plague field-batched systems. The cured adhesive conforms to the FIP (Fédération Internationale de la Précontrainte) specifications for segmental bridge construction, which is the benchmark Indian and international bridge consultants reference for this class of jointing material. What makes the product distinctive on an Indian site is its temperature-graded format. The same chemistry is offered in three setting speeds — Nitobond PC20 (fast set, for application in cool conditions of roughly 5°C to 20°C), Nitobond PC30 (medium-fast set, roughly 15°C to 30°C) and Nitobond PC40 (slow set, roughly 25°C to 40°C). This lets a contractor pick a grade that gives a workable pot life and open time in the ambient conditions actually prevailing, whether that is a winter morning in the north or a peak-summer afternoon in a coastal or central region. Because epoxy reactivity accelerates sharply with heat, matching the grade to the temperature is the single most important field decision with this product: a fast-set grade used in 40°C heat would skin over before the joint can be closed, while a slow-set grade in cold weather would not develop early strength in time for stressing. Nitobond PC is also tolerant of damp (though not standing-water-wet) substrates and is applied without a separate primer, which simplifies the operation at height and over water.
The technical insight
The engineering value of Nitobond PC lies in three coupled properties that the FIP test suite measures. First, squeezability (FIP 5.4): the thixotropic paste must extrude evenly under post-tensioning pressure so that surplus adhesive is squeezed out to leave a thin, void-free glue line typically well under a millimetre, while still keying the two match-cast faces — the Bangladesh-region sheet quantifies this as a squeezability greater than 3000 mm². Second, compressive strength (FIP 5.6): the joint develops greater than 40 N/mm² within 24 hours and greater than 75 N/mm² at 7 days on the India datasheet, which is what allows segments to be stressed and the launching cycle to advance the next day. Third, and most telling, the tensile bending strength (FIP 5.14) is reported as ‘concrete failure’ — meaning a bonded prism breaks through the parent concrete rather than along the adhesive line, the definitive proof that the glued joint is stronger than the substrate itself. Shear strength (FIP 5.15) is in the order of 12–13 N/mm². The pot life is about 30 minutes and the open time about 60 minutes (both measured for a 100 g mixed mass, per the datasheet), but practitioners should note that these are reference figures at the grade’s design temperature — a larger mixed mass generates more exothermic heat and a hotter ambient shortens both windows. Specific gravity of the mixed material is around 1.60–1.65 at 30°C on the India sheet.
Where it is used
- Structural bonding of match-cast precast segments in box-girder bridges, viaducts and metro/elevated-corridor decks
- Forming water-resistant, post-tensioned segmental joints during balanced-cantilever and span-by-span erection
- Bonding of precast segmental piers and substructure elements where a structural epoxy joint is specified
- Pointing and bonding of stone masonry joints to restore and retain structural integrity in heritage and arch structures
- Jointing of precast concrete elements that are subsequently locked together by prestressing or post-tensioning
- Field bonding where a primer-free, damp-tolerant epoxy that cures across a wide ambient temperature band is required
Key advantages
- Excellent squeezability — extrudes to a thin, even, void-free glue line under post-tensioning while keying both faces
- High structural bond strength: tensile bending tests fail through the concrete, not the adhesive line
- Fast early cure (>40 N/mm² compressive in 24 hours on the India sheet) keeps segmental erection cycles moving
- Three temperature grades (PC20/PC30/PC40) cover roughly 5°C to 40°C, enabling year-round, pan-India application
- Tolerant of damp substrates and applied without a separate primer, simplifying work at height and over water
- Solvent-free and non-flammable base and hardener, improving site safety in confined and elevated locations
- Pre-weighed two-pack format removes on-site dosing errors and gives a consistent, repeatable mix
- Conforms to FIP specifications, the recognised benchmark for segmental bridge jointing adhesives
Limitations & considerations
- Not a general-purpose concrete-to-concrete or screed bonding agent — it is a structural segmental jointing epoxy; for repair-mortar bonding use Nitobond EP, and for cementitious overlays/screeds use Nitobond SBR or AR
- Grade must be matched to ambient temperature; using the wrong grade can cause premature skinning (too fast) or inadequate early strength (too slow)
- Short working windows — roughly 30 min pot life and 60 min open time at the grade temperature, which shorten further with larger mixed mass and higher heat
- Tolerant of damp but not suited to standing water, free water, oil, grease, laitance or dust on the substrate; grit blasting is recommended
- Epoxy resins can cause dermatitis and serious eye irritation — gloves, barrier cream and eye protection are mandatory
- Requires trained operatives, good segment alignment and a dry-run rehearsal to close joints within the open time
- Pack sizes and the cleaning solvent (Nitoflor Sol, which is flammable) must be planned for; uncured adhesive cannot be cleaned with water
Selection & best practice
Always select the grade by the actual ambient temperature at the joint — PC20 for cool conditions (about 5–20°C), PC30 for moderate (about 15–30°C) and PC40 for hot (about 25–40°C) — and do a dry run of the segment before the first glued joint to confirm alignment and timing. Grit-blast and clean both faces to a sound, contamination-free surface, mix the complete pre-weighed pack to a uniform grey with a slow-speed drill paddle (scraping the sides), and apply with a serrated trowel to both faces. Close and stress the joint within the open time; if it skins before closure, lightly scratch the surface to expose fresh adhesive first. Keep mixed quantities small in hot weather to limit exotherm, clean tools immediately with Nitoflor Sol, and store unopened packs below 35°C.
Specifications
| Product type | 2-pack, solvent-free thixotropic epoxy resin adhesive |
| Components / colour | Off-white base + black hardener, mixing to a uniform grey |
| Grades | PC20 (fast set), PC30 (medium-fast set), PC40 (slow set) |
| Recommended application temperature | PC20 ~5–20°C; PC30 ~15–30°C; PC40 ~25–40°C |
| Pot life | ~30 minutes at the grade’s design temperature (per 100 g mixed) |
| Open time | ~60 minutes at the grade’s design temperature (per 100 g mixed) |
| Compressive strength (FIP 5.6) | >40 N/mm² at 24 hours; >75 N/mm² at 7 days (India datasheet) |
| Tensile bending strength (FIP 5.14) | Concrete failure (joint stronger than parent concrete) |
| Shear strength (FIP 5.15) | approx. 12–13 N/mm² |
| Squeezability (FIP 5.4) | Meets FIP requirement (>3000 mm² per the Bangladesh-region sheet) |
| Specific gravity at 30°C | 1.60–1.65 (India datasheet) |
| Coverage | Approx. 2 L/m² (≈1.63 m²/pack) at 2 mm thickness |
| Pack sizes | 30 L bulk and 3.7 L standard (India); 6 kg standard (Bangladesh region) |
| Standards compliance | Conforms to FIP specifications for segmental bonding |
| Shelf life / storage | 12 months stored below 35°C in unopened containers |
| Equipment cleaner | Nitoflor Sol (flammable; use before adhesive cures) |
Industry use cases
Bridges & Viaducts
Bonding match-cast precast segments in post-tensioned box-girder bridges and viaducts erected by balanced-cantilever or span-by-span methods, where a fast-curing, water-tight structural joint is essential to the launching cycle.
Metro & Elevated Corridors
Jointing precast segmental decks and piers on metro viaducts and elevated road corridors, a major segment of Indian urban infrastructure where erection speed and joint reliability are critical.
Precast Concrete Construction
Structural bonding of precast segmental elements that are subsequently locked together by prestressing, ensuring the glued interface transfers load through the concrete rather than the joint.
Heritage & Masonry Repair
Pointing and bonding of stone masonry joints in arch bridges, heritage structures and load-bearing masonry to restore and retain structural integrity.
Infrastructure Contractors
Selected by EPC and bridge contractors who need a temperature-graded epoxy that performs across India’s climate, from cold northern winters (PC20) to peak-summer heat (PC40).
Frequently asked questions
Is Fosroc Nitobond PC the same as Nitobond EP or Nitobond SBR?
Which grade — PC20, PC30 or PC40 — should I order?
Does it need a primer, and can the surface be damp?
How strong is the bonded joint?
What is the pot life and how much working time do I get?
What pack sizes are available and how do I store it?
How we position Fosroc Nitobond PC
Within the Fosroc range, Nitobond PC occupies a specialised niche distinct from the rest of the Nitobond family: it is the structural segmental-bonding epoxy, whereas Nitobond EP is the everyday epoxy bonding bridge between old and new concrete, and Nitobond SBR and Nitobond AR are latex bonding agents/gauging admixtures for cementitious repairs and screeds. On a typical bridge job it sits alongside Fosroc’s wider repair and grouting system — Renderoc repair mortars, Conbextra cementitious grouts and Nitoseal/Thioflex joint sealants — so consultants often specify these together. For the segmental-bonding role specifically, the credible competing products an Indian buyer will encounter are Sika’s segmental bridge adhesives such as Sikadur 31 / Sikadur-grade epoxies, MBS (MB Solutions / formerly MBT-BASF Master Builders) epoxy bonding systems, and STP Limited’s structural epoxy adhesives; Dr. Fixit (Pidilite) competes strongly in the general bonding-agent and waterproofing space (e.g. its SBR-type and epoxy bonding agents) but is less commonly the specified choice for post-tensioned match-cast joints. Nitobond PC’s main differentiators are its FIP conformance, its ‘concrete-failure’ tensile performance and — most practically for Indian sites — its three temperature-matched grades, which let a single product serve a winter erection in the north and a peak-summer pour in the south. As an authorised Fosroc distributor and applicator for Delhi NCR and Pan-India, Space Arc Engineering supplies all three grades and supports grade selection, substrate-prep and application planning for segmental and masonry projects.
Related Concrete Repair products
Source Fosroc Nitobond PC for your project
Authorised distribution, technical advice & professional application across Delhi NCR and Pan-India.