Long-Life Concrete: How Long Will My Concrete Last. A Synthesis of Knowledge of Potential Durability of Concrete.

摘要

There is an ongoing discussion about moving toward performance-based specifications for concrete pavements. However, this approach may increase risk for all parties until performance requirements are agreed upon and, more importantly, how the requirements can be measured. This document seeks to move the discussion forward by outlining the needs and the challenges and proposing some immediate actions. A fundamental issue behind pavement construction activities is that the owner/designer needs to be assured that the concrete in place will survive for the intended period (assuming no changes in the environment or loading) and, therefore, that full payment should be made. At the same time, each party along the supply chain needs to be assured that the material being supplied to them is able to meet the required performance, as is the product/system that they are delivering. The focus of this document is a discussion of the issues behind this need, and which technologies are available, or are still needed, to meet this need, particularly from the point of view of potential durability. The phrase potential durability is used because, despite the best efforts to deliver a high-quality mixture, poor workmanship may ruin it and/or the environment experienced is not the same as that assumed at the time that the mix design was settled upon.