Service life design and modelling of concrete structures – background, developments, and implementation

The paper presents an overview of current knowledge and progress in service life design and modelling of concrete structures, taking an international view but also giving local examples from South Africa. It raises the question of why service life modelling is needed, and indicates that modern demands for longevity, durability, and sustainability of concrete structures cannot be fulfilled without service life modelling. It addresses the current approaches to durability design and specification and concludes that a move to performance-based approaches is imperative if progress is to be made. Examples from international experience are cited to illustrate progress that has been made. Lastly, the paper discusses ways of moving forward, recognizing that the philosophical bases are already firmly in place in the form of general code formulations, but these need to be converted into useful approaches.