Design of durable concrete structures
Design of durable concrete structures (FB 70) was written by BRE’s Stuart Matthews and published by the BRE Trust in 2014. It is an updated and extended version of Volume 3 (Chapter 5) of the second edition of the fib (the International Federation for Structural Concrete) Structural concrete textbook. Its publication as a separate volume makes it more widely available to concrete specialists and engineers.
Concrete is the most extensively used construction material, and with the correct design, specification and construction can be extremely durable. However, it is not everlasting.
The book explains the complex set of phenomena governing the durability and long-term performance of concrete structures, and how these form a basis for service life design, the objective of which is to ensure concrete structures achieve appropriate durability.
It reflects recent developments and gives an up-to-date overview focusing on the behaviour of the concrete structures and their interaction with environment.
It is intended to assist designer to improve the durability and reliability of concrete structures, and will also be of value to engineers involved in the assessment, maintenance and extension of life of existing concrete structures.
The 19 chapters the book are:
- Introduction.
- Overview of the service life design, construction and through-life care process.
- Through-life performance, life-cycle cost and sustainability.
- Mechanisms that may cause deterioration or damage to concrete structures.
- Some factors influencing the durability of concrete structures.
- Environmental aggressivity.
- Recommendations in standards and codes of practice.
- Overview of modelling of deterioration processes.
- Factorial approach to estimating service life.
- Service life design process and considerations.
- Measures to enhance resistance or avoid reinforcement corrosion.
- Measures to enhance resistance and avoid deterioration.
- Influence of some design, execution and workmanship issues on durability.
- Construction quality issues: the role of the project execution specification.
- Improving durability: benefits of pre-construction planning and trials.
- Condition control: planned through-life structure management and care.
- Monitoring of durability and performance.
- Examples from practice.
- Future look: potential developments influencing service life design.
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki.
- 3D concrete printer.
- Alkali-activated binder.
- Alkali-aggregate reaction (AAR).
- BRE articles on Designing Buildings Wiki.
- BRE Trust.
- Building Research Establishment.
- Concrete.
- Concrete-steel composite structures.
- Concrete vs. steel.
- Concreting plant.
- Formwork.
- Precast concrete.
- Prestressed concrete.
- Power float.
- Rebar.
- Reinforced concrete.
- Restoring Charles Drake's concrete house.
- Scabbling.
- Screed.
- Slip form.
- The use of concrete structures to protect construction sites.
Featured articles and news
Getting the most out of heat pumps and heating
How heat pumps work and how they work best.
Plumbing and heating for successful retrofit and renovation
Low temperature underfloor systems and heat pumps.
Cost-of-living crisis and home improvement plans
Starting on the right footing and top tips for projects.
Delays on construction projects
Types, mitigation and the acceleration of works.
From Chaucer to Fawlty Towers.
Electrotechnical excellence, now open for entries.
Net zero electricity grids BSRIA guide NZG 5/2024
Outlining the changes needed to transition to net zero.
CIOB Global Student Challenge 2024
Universitas Indonesia wins for second year running.
New project and cultural district described in detail.
The nature of EPCs, crticism and inaccuracies.
History, issues and redesign.
From waste recycling to energy performance the hierchy.
An introduction to WERCS and WEEE responsibilities
Dealing with 2 million tonnes of waste equipment a year.
Global BACS Market: analytics and optimisation
A BSRIA glance at building automation and control systems.
What it is and how to use it.
Types of insulating plaster by binder and insulant.
Investors in People: CIOB achieves gold
Reflecting a commitment to employees and members.
Scratching beneath the surface; a guide to selection.
ECA 2024 Apprentice of the Year Award
Entries open for submission until May 31.
UK gov apprenticeship funding from April 2024
Brief summary the policy paper updated in March.