scope:

This report begins with an overview of important factors controlling the service life of concrete, including past and current design of structures; concrete materials issues; field practices involved with placing, consolidating, and curing of concrete; and in-service stresses induced by degradation processes and mechanical loads. Methodologies used to evaluate the structural condition of concrete structures and the condition and properties of in-service concrete materials are presented. Methods are reviewed for predicting the service life of concrete, including comparative methods, use of accelerated aging (degradation) tests, application of mathematical modeling and simulation, and application of reliability and stochastic concepts.

This is followed by a discussion of relationships between economics and the life of structures, such as when it is more economical to replace a structure than to repair or rehabilitate. Examples are described in which service life prediction techniques are applicable to concrete structures or structural components. Finally, needed developments to improve the reliability of service life predictions are presented.