Reliability and Durability Assessment of Concrete and Composite Structures

Methods of probability design and statistical control of reinforced concrete and composite structures lead to material economy and increase in reliability of buildings and constructions. Limit states of construction are to be caused by loads and material characteristics as well as by unfavourable environmental conditions. Reinforced concrete is heterogeneous material cast-in-site under variable conditions with variable materials and reinforced with environmentally sensitive material. The fluctuation of strength characteristics of constituent materials is taken into consideration in construction codes through the concept of characteristic strength and other properties such as diffusivity and permeability. As far as durability of structure is concerned, the probable fluctuation related to stress state in a material is additional to fluctuation related to the material characteristics. Methods of assessment of load-bearing capacity and durability of a single concrete and composite structural elements and reliability of statically determined and undetermined systems are developed and discussed.