Concrete conservation: outstanding challenges and potential ways forward

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present current challenges in concrete conservation and how the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) is responding to these challenges. The Concrete Conservation Project initiated by the GCI is aimed at advancing the practice of conserving historic concrete structures through the creation and dissemination of information.

Design/methodology/approach

The scope of the project was defined through discussions in experts meetings, development of annotated bibliography and literature review. The project proposes to face the identified issues with the dissemination of information on case studies, development of guidance documents, training opportunities and scientific research.

Findings

Despite the existing well-established repair industry for concrete structures generally, current data on concrete repair do not meet the needs of conservation professionals, there is little information on the efficacy and durability of existing repair solutions, shortage of training opportunities, and there is a lack of technical guidelines focused on concrete conservation.

Originality/value

Conserving concrete is a nascent area of preservation practice facing multiple challenges. Reinforced concrete is the most commonly used building material of the twentieth century. As the heritage of the twentieth century is increasingly recognized as worthy of conservation, conserving concrete has become a priority. The history of this material reveals a story of innovation, radical advancement in material and structural engineering, and correspondingly daring responses by architects, together creating a huge array of reinforced concrete structures from the ordinary to the extraordinary.