Repair and Strengthening of Concrete Structures: General Aspects

Maintenance, repair and strengthening of existing concrete structures, either reinforced or prestressed, are important activities of civil engineers. A variety of engineering tasks are required in practice to effectively repair and strengthen concrete structures. Concrete structures are found in large numbers all over the world. Many are at or near the end of their service life. Although highly durable, concrete structures start showing the signs of deterioration in the course of time. Maintenance of concrete structures should be regular and preventive. Regular maintenance is the most effective measure against structural deterioration from the technical, economic and organizational points of view. Concrete structures should be replaced only when it has been established that repair or strengthening measures are not technically feasible or economically reasonable.