Concrete Durability Based on Coupled Laboratory Deterioration by Frost, Carbonation and Chloride

Concrete performance is typically based on deterioration caused by one mechanism alone. The service life of a structure is linked to reaching limit states that are estimated from models based of laboratory data. Accelerated laboratory tests are conducted as independent studies of performance, such as single assessments of frost, frost-salt, chloride ingress or carbonation induced corrosion acting alone. Yet in real field performance, concrete is actually being affected by simultaneous environmental and conditional exposures. This paper presents a new approach to evaluating durability: by coupling deterioration mechanisms within laboratory testing to more accurately predict long-term performance.