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STRUCTURES
• It is worth adding that durability does not mean an indefinite life, nor does
it mean withstanding any action on concrete. Moreover, it is nowadays
realized, that routine maintenance of the concrete is required.
• Until recently, developments in cement and concrete technology have
concentrated on achieving higher and higher strengths as it was assumed
that a stronger concrete is a more durable concrete. However, it is now
know that both strength and durability have to be considered explicitly at
the design stage.
• Inadequate durability manifests by deterioration which can be due either
to external or internal factors. The actions can be physical, chemical, or
mechanical.
• Mechanical damage is caused by impact, abrasion, erosion or cavitation.
The chemical causes of deterioration include the alkali-silica reactions.
External chemical attack occurs mainly through the action of aggressive
ions, such as chlorides, sulfates or carbon dioxide.
• Physical causes of deterioration include the effect of high temperature, or
of the differences in thermal expansion of aggregate and the hardened
cement paste.
• Deterioration of concrete is rarely due to one isolated cause: concrete can
be often satisfactory despite some undesirable features but with an
additional adverse factor, damage will occur.
DURABILITY
A durable structure shall meet the
requirements of serviceability,
strength and stability throughout its
EUROCODE design working life, without significant
loss of utility with ordinary
maintenance
Corrosion
(carbonation/ Freeze and Thaw Chemical attack Physical attack
Chlorides) cycles
CRACKING
CORROSION OF THE REINFORCEMENT
PROBLEMS RELATED WITH CORROSION
EFFECT ON THE
BOND BETWEEN THE It is not possible to guarantee
the development of stresses in
REBARS AND THE
the reinforcement
CONCRETE
50%<RH<75%
CORROSION DUE TO CARBONATION
Fenoftalein test
• Fenoftalein is used to
investigate if the concrete
was carbonated or not.
• If the concrete becomes
violet it was not carbonated.
CORROSION DUE TO CHLORIDES
• Exposure of reinforced concrete to chloride ions is the primary cause of
premature corrosion of steel reinforcement
• The intrusion of chloride ions, present in deicing salts and seawater, into
reinforced concrete can cause steel corrosion if oxygen and moisture are
also available to sustain the reaction
• Chloride-containing admixtures can also cause corrosion.
• The mechanism by which chlorides promote corrosion is not entirely
understood, but the most popular theory is that chloride ions penetrate the
protective oxide film easier than do other ions, leaving the steel vulnerable
to corrosion.
CORROSION DUE TO CHLORIDES
• For structures exposed to the atmosphere, when the localized attack
begins, the corrosion velocity can vary from some tenths of m/year to one
1 mm/year, when the humidity increases from 70 to 95% and the quantity of
chlorides from 1 to 3% (in weight with respect to the cement).
Maximum tide
Medium level of tides
zone of the tides
Minimum tide
Electrical
station
Concrete
Anode reaction
Cathode reaction
Steel bar
DURABILITY
• Definition of environmental
The capability of conditions
concrete
• Design provisions for materials
structures to and structures
satisfy
durability • Provisions for the execution
requirements and controls
depends on: • The instructions for use and
maintenance
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS (EUROCODE 2)
Exposure conditions are chemical and physical conditions to
which the structure is exposed in addition to the mechanical
actions.
Environmental conditions are classified according to following
Table, based on EN 206-1.
In addition to the conditions in the following Table, particular forms
of aggressive or indirect action should be considered including:
chemical attack, arising from e.g.
• The use of the building or the structure (storage of liquids, etc)
• Solutions of acids or sulfate salts (EN 206-1, ISO 9690)
• Chlorides contained in the concrete (EN 206-1)
• Alkali-aggregate reactions (EN 206-1, National Standards)
• Physical attack, arising from e.g.
• Temperature change
• Abrasion
• Water penetration (EN 206-1).
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS (EUROCODE 2)
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS (EUROCODE 2)
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS (EUROCODE 2)
DURABILITY
where:
cmin,b minimum cover due to bond requirement
cmin,dur minimum cover due to environmental conditions
Δcdur,γ additional safety concrete cover
Δcdur,st reduction of minimum cover for use of stainless steel
Δcdur,add reduction of minimum cover for use of additional protection
CONCRETE COVER
Minimum cover, cmin
cmin,b
- where fabrication is subjected to a quality assurance system, in which the monitoring includes
measurements of the concrete cover, the allowance in design for deviation Δcdev may be reduced:
10 mm ≥ Δcdev ≥ 5 mm
- where it can be assured that a very accurate measurement device is used for monitoring and non
conforming members are rejected (e.g. precast elements), the allowance in design for deviation Δcdev
may be reduced: 10 mm ≥ Δcdev ≥ 0 mm
CONCRETE COVER
Allowance in design for deviation
For concrete cast against uneven surfaces, the minimum cover should
generally be increased by allowing larger deviations in design.
The cover to the reinforcement for any surface feature, such as ribbed
finishes or exposed aggregate, should also be increased to take
account of the uneven surface.
CONCRETE COVER
CONCRETE COVER
CONCRETE COVER
CONCRETE COVER