1st Edition

Damage to Concrete Structures

By Geert De Schutter Copyright 2013
    210 Pages 108 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    209 Pages 108 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    Serious degradation mechanisms can severely reduce the service life of concrete structures: steel reinforcement can corrode, cement matrix can be attacked, and even aggregates can show detrimental processes. Therefore, it is important to understand how damage can occur to concrete structures and to appreciate the timing of the actions leading to damage. Damage to Concrete Structures summarizes the state-of-the-art information on the degradation of concrete structures, and gives a clear and comprehensive overview of what can go wrong.

    Offering a logical flow, the chapters are ordered according to the chronological timing of the actions leading to concrete damage. The author explains the different actions or mechanisms in a fundamental manner, without too many physical or chemical details, to provide greater clarity and readability. The book describes the different causes of damage to concrete, including inappropriate design, errors during execution, mechanisms occurring during hardening of concrete, and actions or degradation mechanisms during service life (hardened concrete).

    The degradation mechanisms are illustrated with numerous real-world examples and many drawings and photographs taken of actual structures. Written as a textbook for students as well as a reference for professionals, this easy-to-comprehend book gives readers a deeper understanding of the damage that can occur to concrete during the construction process and service.

    Durability and service life
    Introduction
    Durability and service life
    Strategies and cost
    Durable concrete
    Practical durability approach
    More advanced durability design
    References

    Inappropriate design
    Introduction
    Inappropriate dimensions and detailing
    Wrong estimation of loading
    Inappropriate estimation of creep effects
    Inappropriate mix design
    References

    Errors during casting
    Introduction
    Errors during proportioning
    Inappropriate mixing
    Aggressive substances within the mix
    Wrong placement of reinforcement
    Bad compaction and other problems during casting
    Problems with formworks
    Damage in plastic stage
    References

    Actions during hardening
    Introduction
    Autogenous shrinkage
    Drying shrinkage
    Thermal shrinkage
    References

    Actions during service
    Mechanical actions
    Physical actions
    Chemical actions
    Reinforcement corrosion
    References

    Index

    Biography

    Geert De Schutter is a full professor at Ghent University, Belgium. He is currently conducting research in the field of concrete technology at the Magnel Laboratory for Concrete Research, Department of Structural Engineering. He has won several national and international awards including the Vreedenburgh Award in 1998 and the prestigious international RILEM Robert L’Hermite Medal in 2001. In 2009, he co-authored the textbook Self-Compacting Concrete. Since February 2009, Professor De Schutter has served as RILEM’s director of development.

    "The book is a good overview to the topic area and well suited as an introductory level reference."
    —Ronald G. Burg, P.E., American Concrete Institute

    "... very interesting and comprehensive for under- and post-graduate students, researchers, designers, consultants and practitioners in the concrete industry."
    —Mohammed Sonebi, SPACE, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK

    "Not only is Damage to Concrete Structures up to date with its coverage of the topic, it is also unique in that it addresses a wide range of subjects that influence the performance of concrete structures in service. As a result, it encompasses many aspects of concrete construction beyond the typical materials and structural design courses taught in universities, including informative material that is rarely detailed in textbooks—especially the chapters on Inappropriate Design and Errors during Casting. It should therefore be a valuable resource for students as they need to be knowledgeable in all the important issues that can affect the successful achievement of concrete structures that will be durable and therefore more sustainable."
    From the Foreword by Professor R. Douglas Hooton, NSERC/CAC Industrial Research Chair in Concrete Durability and Sustainability, University of Toronto, Canada