DURABILITY OF

STRUCTURES
 Concrete – Is it trouble free?
• MANDOVI BRIDGE IN GOA WAS OPENED TO
TRAFFIC IN 1972 AND FAILED IN JULY 1989.

• THANE CREEK ROAD BRIDGE OPENED FOR

TRAFFIC IN 1975 WAS CLOSED IN 1991.
 Concrete – Is it trouble free?
• RLY BRIDGE OVER RIVER GANGES NEAR
ALLAHABAD WAS BUILT IN 1990s
DEVELOPED SERIOUSS PROBLEMS IN
BEARINGS, CRACKS IN BOX GIRDERS AND
A SPEED RESTRICTION OF 20 KMPH WAS
IMPOSED.

• RLY BRIDGE OVER RIVER GANGES NEAR

ROORKEE BUILT IN 1998 DEVELOPED
SERIOUS PROBLEMS IN BEARINGS,
CRACKS IN BOX GIRDERS
 Concrete
Essential Requirements

1.Strength – Carry the designed loads

2.Durability – Keep carrying without

problems
 Durability of the Structure
• Mechanisms of failure of concrete
– Brittle or ductile failure
– Fatigue failure
– Creep Failure – deflection/loss of pre-stress
– Instability failure – robustness and stability
– Corrosion failure
 Durability.
• It does not mean indefinite Life

• Concrete requires routine maintenance

• It was earlier believed that strong concrete is also durable

concrete

• Strength and durability have to be considered during the design

stage
 What is Durability?

Ability of a structure to withstand

the deterioration, which is caused
under the influence of environment
throughout it’s desired life, without
the need for undue maintenance.
 Durability of Concrete
Resistance to Physical and Chemical
deterioration of concrete resulting from

1.Interaction with the environment

including weathering and abrasion
2.Interaction between the constituents of
which it is made and protection of
embedded steel from corrosion process
 Cracking in Concrete
• Non-structural cracks in concrete
– Plastic cracking
– Thermal contraction and cracking
– Long term drying shrinkage
• Structural cracks in concrete
– Under tensile structural loads
– Can be controlled by detailing
 Environmental attack
• Exposure to
– Salts
– Oxygen
– Moisture
– Carbon dioxide
• Concrete cover is the prime defense and
unfortunately it is of relatively poor quality
 VS
STRENGTH PERMEABILITY

1. CEMENTITIOUS
CONCRETE

MATERIAL
2. COHESIVE
S DNEP E D
NO

3. COMACTION
NO
S DNEP E D

4. CURING
5. COVER
6. CRACK
WIDTH
1.W/C ratio

1.Cement

•Its content
Quality

•Cohesive •W/C ratio

Voids

•Minm
1. Air

•Extent •Gel
•Workable •Heat of
•Integrity formation Voids
hydration
•C3A content
Factors effecting
STRENGTH Factors effecting PERMEABILITY
Beneficial factors/actions against
this
• Increase in depth of cover
• Low W/C ratio to minimize capillaries
• High cement content – providing high level
of alkalinity
• Efficient curing of adequate duration
• Coatings forming barrier to surface
 Effect of w/c ratio on permeability
• Concrete produced with low water to cement ratio displays low
coefficient of permeability of concrete as compared to concrete
produced with high water cement ratio
• The coefficient of permeability of concrete made using same
materials but with different W/C ratios.
Coefficient of Permeability for different W/C ratio
•
• Sr. No. Water Cement Ratio Coefficient of Permeability (Valenta)
1 0.35 1x 10-3
2 0.50 10 x 10-3
3 0.65 1000 x 10.–3
 Effect of Curing
Permeability (m2 x 10-17 ) Porosity (%)
Curing 1 3 7 28 90 1 3 7 28 90
(days)
W/C
0.32 5.60 0.30 0.12 0.00 0.00 20.8 19.7 14.4 9.8 5.9

0.40 18.70 0.59 0.07 0.07 0.00 33.3 28.6 20.9 16.8 11.1

0.50 214.0 14.70 2.35 0.19 0.00 43.5 37.8 32.2 20.8 14.5
 LIFE OF BRIDGES-
CBC Cl. 16.1.3
• IN SEA 50 YEARS

• IN COASTAL AREAS 80 YEARS

• REST OF INDIA 100 YEARS

 PROPOSED CODAL LIFE OF
MAJOR BRIDGES
RLY BDS L.NO. 2002/CE-II/ASSETS/1 DT.1-7-2004
STRUCTURE CODAL LIFE (YRS)

BRIDGE WORK-STEEL 60
BRIDGE MASONARY 100
STRUCTURES-STEEL 60
STRUC.-MASON& 65
CONCRETE
RCC BRIDGE WORK 60
PSC BRIDGE WORK 40
HOW TO BUILD DURABLE
STRUCTURES
• DURABLE STRUCTURES ARE TO BE
- CONCEPTUALISED
- DESIGNED AND DETAILED
- SPECIFIED
- CONTRACTED
- SUPERVISED
- CONSTRUCTED ( TO BE RUTHLESSLY
DEMOLISHED IF NOT CONSTRUCTED
AS SPECIFIED)
- MAINTAINED
DURABILITY

• FUNCTION OF
1. SELECTION OF PROPER FORM
2. PROPER DESIGN
3. CHOICE OF PROPER MATERIALS
4.GOOD QUALITY CONTROL
5. MAINTAINABILITY
FORM

• ALL COMPRESSION MEMBERS HAVE

PROVED THEIR DURABILITY OVER
LONG TIME
• SIMPLE DETAILS AND FORMS
• FORMS HAVING MINM. EXPOSURE TO
CORRODING ENVIRONMENT
• AVOID UNDUE EMPHASIS ON
ECONOMY BY ADOPTING THINNER
SECTIONS
DESIGN

• ASSESSMENT OF LOADS
- FUTURE EXPECTED LOADS
-DERAILMENT CONDITION
- ERECTION LOADS
-TEMP. ACROSS X SECTION
-OCCASIONAL LOADS
• PROPER DUCTILE DETAILING OF
REINF.
• CRACK WIDTH CONTROL
CONTINUED- 1

• LAPS IN REINF. AT CRITICAL

LOCATIONS AVOIDED. THE MECH. JT.
DEVICES BE LOCATED AT LOCATION
OF 50% OF MOMENT OF RESISTANCE

• PSC STRANDS SOULD BE AVOIDED TO

HAVE CURVATURE IN PLAN. IN
ELEVATION THE CURVE BE AS
GENTLE AS POSSIBLE
CONTINUED-2

• MINIMUM RESIDUAL
COMPRESSION(5%) BE ALLOWED
IN EXTREME FIBRES IN PSC
GIRDERS, IN SERVICE CONDN.

• AVOID CURTAILING CABLES IN

THE DECK SLAB. THE BLISTERS IF
UNAVOIDABLE SHOULD BE
PROVIDED IN NON-CRITICAL
ZONES
CONTINUED-3

• PROVISION FOR ADDL. PRESTRESS

FOR FUTURE REQUIREMENT
• PROVISIONS TO BE KEPT FOR
MAINTAINABILITY OF BRIDGES
• CONCEPT OF MAINTENANCE
MANUAL
 CHEM. IMPURITIES IN
AGGREGATES
S.NO. CHEMICA- FINE AGG. COARSE
LS AGGR.

(I) Cl (MAX.) 0.04% BY 0.02% BY

WT. WT

(II) SO3 (MAX) 0.4% BY 0.4% BY

WT WT.
 TOTAL CHLORIDE
CONTENT IN CONCRETE
EXTREME/V. SEVERE/MODE
SEVERE ENV. RATE/MILD

PSC 0.06% BY WT. 0.10% BY WT.

OF CEMENT OF CEMENT

RCC 0.15% BY WT. 0.15% BY WT.

OF CEMENT OF CEMENT
AGGREGATES

• ORGANIC IMPURITIES BE ABSENT

• CLAY& SILT UPTO 75 MICRON TO BE
ABSENT OR CONTROLLED
• MARINE AGGREGATE IF USED
SHOULD BE WASHED BEFORE USE
• WATER SOLUBLE CHLORIDES AND
SULPHATES TO BE AVOIDED
ADMIXTURES

• THESE SHOULD BE CHLORIDE

FREE
• SHOULD NOT BE AIR ENTRAINIG
TYPE IN PSC WORK
• EXCESSIVE QTY OF SUPER-
PLASTICISER CAN LEAD TO
SEGGREGATION
• GROUTING ADMIXTURES SHOULD
BE FREE FROM Cl-,So4-,So3-,No3-
MAINTAINABILITY

• AMENABLE TO INSPECTION AND

ATTENTION , IF REQD.

• CLOSED SECTIONS SHOULD BE

PROVIDED WITH SYSTEM OF
PROPER LIGHTING

• WELL DEFINED SCHEME AND

SCHEDULES OF INSPECTIONS
QUALITY CONTROL

• A WELL DEFINED QC/QA SYSTEM WITH

CHECK LISTS FOR VARIOUS ACTIVITIES
OF DIFFERENT STAGES AND POINTED
RESPONSIBILITY OF OFFICERS AND STAFF
IS THE ONLY ANSWER

• HIGHEST OFFICER INCHAGE OF PROJECT

SHOULD BE COMMITTED TO QC/QA
PERMEABILITY TEST

• DEPTH OF PENETRATION OF
MOISTURE SHOULD NOT EXCEED
25 MM.

• THIS TEST IS MANDATORY FOR

BOTH RCC & PSC STRUCTURES IN
SEVERE ,V.SEVERE & EXTREME
ENV.
 Corrosion of Concrete-
Carbonation
• The diffusion of atmospheric CO2 in the gaseous phase
of the concrete pores and reacts in following two ways.
– The dissolution of solid Ca(OH)2 from cement gel into the
pore water and reaction of dissolved CO2 with dissolved
Ca(OH)2 in the pore water.
– The reaction of dissolved CO2 with CSH.
 Corrosion of Concrete-
Carbonation
Ca(OH)2 + 2CO3 > CaCO3 + 2H2O

3CaO•2SiO2•3H2O + 3CO2 > 3CaCO3•2SiO2•3H2O

• The pH-value decreases to less than 9,

which normally is insufficient to protect
the reinforcement against corrosion.
 Corrosion of Concrete-
Carbonation
X= K T ½
• Where X is measured in mm and T
in years
• K is function of concrete strength
• Above relation is for RH 50%
Corrosion of Concrete-
Carbonation
Depth of Carbonation –
Strength of Concrete
 Corrosion of Concrete-
Chlorides
• Mix Water
• Aggregates
• Admixtures (Accelerators)
• Curing water
• Surrounding soil
• Sea water
Corrosion of Concrete-Critical
Chloride Content
 Alkali Aggregate Reaction
• Probable Area
– Anywhere on structure
• Probable Locations
– Damp area, shows gel type or dried resin type deposit in
cracks
• Cause
– Reactive silicates and carbonates in aggregates reacting
with Alkali in cement
• Remedy
– Use proper aggregates, Use Portland Blast Furnace Slag
cement, Keep water away
• Time of Appearance
– More than five years
Alkali Aggregate Reaction
 Sulphate Attack
• Sulphate salts from surrounding soil react with
C3A . No deposits like those in Alkali- Aggregate
reaction
• Use low C3A cement, Portland Blast Furnace Slag
cement
• After two years
 Sulphate Attack
• High concentrations of sulphate ions
(SO4--) + Ca(OH)2 + 2H2O ->
CaSO42H2O + 2OH- + expansion
• Low Sulphate ion concentration
Calcium Aluminate Hydrate + CaSO42H2O ->
3CaOAl2O3CaSO432H2O (ettringite) +expansion
• Magnesium and Ammonium Sulphate(Serious)
MgSO4 reacts with Calcium Aluminate Hydrate
MgSO4 + Ca(OH)2 ->
CaSO4 + Mg(OH)2 + volume expansion
 Corrosion of Steel
• Electrochemical corrosion
• Galvanic corrosion
• Atmospheric corrosion
Electrochemical corrosion
Corrosion of Steel Rebars

Electro-chemical process of corrosion

 Chemical Reaction - Rusting
At Anode
Fe Fe2+ + 2e-
At Cathode
2e- + H2O + ½ O2 2(OH) –
At Anode
Fe2+ + 2(OH) – FeO.H2O Rust
Volume of Rust
FeO
Fe2O3
Fe3O4
Fe(OH)2
Fe(OH)3
Fe(OH).3nH2O

1 2 3 4 5 6
Volume
 Galvanic corrosion
• More anodic metal releases ions when
two different metals are in electrical
contact in moist atmosphere
 Atmospheric corrosion
• High humidity level ( > 65 %)
• The corrosion velocity is doubled for every
10o C increase in temperature.
• Air pollution
– SO2 in air
– The sulphur dioxide creates H2SO3 which
is oxidized to sulphuric acid (H2SO4)
which increases the corrosion velocity.
 Correction to CBC
Environme Exposure condition
nt

Moderate Concrete surface protected against weather or aggressive conditions.

Concrete surface sheltered from severe rain or freezing whilst wet
concrete exposed to condensation. Concrete structure continuously
under water, Concrete in contact with non-aggressive soil/ground
water.
Severe Concrete surface exposed to severe rain, alternate wetting and drying
or occasional freezing or severe condensation. Concrete exposed to
aggressive sub soil/ground water or coastal environment.

Extreme Concrete surface exposed to sea water spray, corrosive fumes or

severe freezing conditions whilst wet. Concrete structure surfaces
exposed to abrasive action, surface of members in tidal zone. All
other exposure conditions which are adverse to exposure conditions
covered above.
 Existing Provisions CBC
Minimum Grade of Concrete
Environment PCC RCC PSC
Mild M - 10 M – 15 M – 35
Moderate M - 10 M – 20 M – 35
Severe M - 15 M – 20 M – 45
Very Severe M - 15 M – 25 M – 50
Extreme M - 20 M - 30 M - 50
MINIMUM COVER TO REINF.
Cl.15.9.8.1 OF CBC
Type of Extreme Very Severe Moderate/
Structure Environ. Severe Mild
SLAB 50 50 25 25

BEAM/ 60 50 40 35
GIRDER
COLUMN75 75 75 50

WELL/PI 75 75 75 50
LE/Foot
 Correction to CBC – Cover to
reinforcement
Type of Extreme Severe Moderate
Structure
Slab 50 35 25
Beam/Girder 60 50 35

Column 75 75 50
Well/ pile & 75 75 50
footing
 Existing Provisions CBC
Minimum Cementitious Material
Kg/m3
Environment PCC RCC PSC
Mild 210 300 350
Moderate 250 300 400
Severe 250 350 430
Very Severe 300 400 440
Extreme 300 400 440
 MINIMUM CEMENT
CONTENT Cl.5.5.4 OF CBC
Exposure PCC RCC PSC (Kg?
(Kg/m3) (Kg/m3) m3)
MILD 300 350 400
MODER. 350 400 400
SEVERE 350 400 430
VERY 400 430 430
SEVERE
Extreme 400 430 440

Cement Content shall not exceed 530 Kg/M3

 Correction to CBC
Exposure Minimum cementitious
conditions material content kg/m3
PCC RCC PSC

Moderate 240 300 400

Severe 250 350 430
Extreme 300 400 440
 MAXM. W/C RATIO
Cl.5.4.2OF CBC
Exposure condition Max. W/C Ratio

MILD 0.50

MODERATE 0.45

SEVERE 0.40

VERY SEVERE 0.40

 Existing Provisions CBC
Maximum Water Cement Ratio
Environment PCC RCC PSC
Mild 0.55 0.50 0.45
Moderate 0.50 0.50 0.40
Severe 0.50 0.45 0.40
Very Severe 0.50 0.45 0.35
Extreme 0.45 0.40 0.35
 Correction to CBC
Maximum Water-Cement
Environme Ratio
nt (PCC) (RCC) (PSC)

Moderate 0.50 0.45 0.40

Severe 0.45 0.40 0.40
Extreme 0.40 0.35 0.35
 MINIMUM GRADE OF CONC.
Cl.5.4.3 OF CBC
Exposure PCC RCC PSC
condition
Mild/Modera M 25 M 35
te
SEVERE M 25 M 30 M 50

Extreme/V. M 30 M 30 M 50
Severe/sever
e
 Correction to CBC – Min grade m

of Concrete
For Important Bridges and PSC work
Structural Moderate Severe Extreme
Member exposure exposure Exposur
e
PCC Member M-25 M-30 M-35
RCC Member M-30 M-35 M-40
PSC Member M-35 M-40 M-45
For Bridges not covered above
PCC Member M-15 M-20 M-25
RCC Member M-20 M-25 M-30
 OTHER REQTS FOR
DURABILITY
• PROPER DRAINAGE
ARRANGEMENTS
• COVER BLOCKS IN THE SAME
GRADE OF CONCRETE
• BINDING WIRES TO BE
GALVANISED
• PROTECTIVE COATINGS TO REINF.
AND CONCRETE SURFACE