Durable and low-maintenance structural concrete infrastructures are long-term societal assets

The societal assets and the complexity of designing well performing, low maintenance, and durable concrete structures are presented in this paper. The multidisciplinary set of problems to be solved by the designer in order to ensure a truly long service life with minimal maintenance is highlighted. The descriptions of the individual measures required to achieve this goal are shown to be relatively simple and based on well-known methods, materials, and technology, however. The key aspects, benefits, and pitfalls of these measures are outlined with particular emphasize on construction materials, structural detailing, and the quality of workmanship during construction. References to selected recent and current durability design and assessment projects are provided in an individual section.

The paper also illustrates the lack of integration of service life orientated design in available codes and standards and in the current design practice. Moreover, the different perspectives and demands of the owner or the client, the contractor, and the designer concerning durability design and the resulting discrepancies are reviewed and put into a societal context. Thereby, the need for a new design paradigm for concrete structures is formulated, exemplified, and sustained.