Page 99 - Handbook of Materials Failure Analysis

94 CHAPTER 5 Failure analysis of reinforced concrete structures

1 INTRODUCTION
Concrete structures, especially reinforced concrete structures are one of most
common type of structures used around world. The coupling between steel and con-
crete allows engineers to design composite structures considering complex architec-
tural geometries with fair costs. When these structures are located in nonaggressive
environments, they respect, in general, the structural life predicted. However, the
structural durability is strongly reduced by environmental processes, which have
physical, chemical, or mechanical origins [1–4].
In recent past decades, structural problems related to durability failure of rein-
forced concrete structures have increased drastically [5–7]. Figure 5.1 presents
two columns mechanically damaged due to reinforcements corrosion effects. In this
figure, crack growth and spalling phenomena are observed. In addition to economic
and financial impacts due to repair costs, the durability problems also have industrial,
environmental, and social consequences, due to the application of repair materials
and the decrease of safety of these structures [8–10].
The high costs involved in both steel loss, structural material mechanical degra-
dation and repair, the loss on structural stability and the recurrence of these problems
make the corrosion of reinforcements the principal pathological manifestation in
reinforced concrete structures [11–14]. Table 5.1 presents the cost involved into

FIGURE 5.1
Columns damaged due to reinforcements corrosion effects. Author’s personal picture.

Table 5.1 Cost with Construction and Repair for Some European Countries [13]

Cost with New Cost with Maintenance
6
6
Country Constructions (10 €) and Repair (10 €)
France 85.6 79.6
Germany 99.7 99.0
Italy 58.6 76.8
United Kingdom 60.7 61.2