As a result of reinforcement corrosion damage, a large portion of existing reinforced concrete structures worldwide is in need for repair and ongoing maintenance, which puts significant constraints on national construction budgets. In the past, one reason for poor performance of existing concrete infrastructure was the absence of adequate specifications for concrete durability. Recently, an increasing number of performance-based design approaches for concrete durability have been developed worldwide, allowing the assessment of the potential durability properties of specific concrete mixes. Performance design may include conformity assessment of the as-built structure using appropriate test methods for evaluation of durability indicators such as diffusion coefficients or transport properties. Such quality assessment schemes can be used at an early age to predict deterioration of the structure and design appropriate maintenance schedules in order to prevent damage and eliminate the need for repair.
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