Deterioration of Reinforced Concrete Structures in a Marine Environment

Various causes of concrete deterioration, in particular those due to corrosion of reinforcement in a marine environment, are reviewed and attention is focused on the interrelation between serviceability and durability of concrete structures. Deterioration of concrete and steel can cause serviceability problems, whereas exceeding serviceability limits can lead to durability problems due to excessive cracking in an aggressive environment. Examples of concrete damage due to reinforcement corrosion in marine structures are described. Lessons learnt from these structures have been applied to the new reinforced concrete bridges of Tripoli's second ring road where the cracks in the supporting elements have been treated during early stages of occurrence.