Title:
Building Durable Structures in the 21st Century
Author(s):
P. Kumar Mehta and Richard W. Burrows
Publication:
Concrete International
Volume:
23
Issue:
3
Appears on pages(s):
57-63
Keywords:
DOI:
Date:
3/1/2001
Abstract:
In the 20th century, the concrete construction industry was driven primarily by the need for higher and higher speeds of construction that are being met by the use of cements and concrete mixtures possessing high-early strength. Consequently, the field experience with many modern concrete structures shows that they are crack prone, and that those exposed to severe environments tend to deteriorate much faster than their intended service life. To build environmentally sustainable concrete structures, it is clear that instead of strength, the 21st century concrete practice must be driven by considerations of durability. The transition can be achieved by major paradigm shifts in the selection of materials, mixture proportions, and construction practice, as discussed in this article.