Concrete Permeability and Durability Performance by Torrent, Roberto J.; Neves, Rui D.; Imamoto, Kei-ichi;

Short description:

This text provides insight into the permeability of concrete, moving from theory to practice, and includes over twenty real cases. It stresses the importance of site testing for a realistic durability assessment and details the ‘Torrent Method’ for non-destructive measurement of air-permeability.

Long description:

Durability and service life design of concrete constructions have considerable socio-economic and environmental consequences, in which the permeability of concrete to aggressive intruders plays a vital role.

Concrete Permeability and Durability Performance provides deep insight into the permeability of concrete, moving from theory to practice, and presents over 20 real cases, such as Tokyo’s Museum of Western Art, Port of Miami Tunnel and Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao sea-link, including field tests in the Antarctic and Atacama Desert. It stresses the importance of site testing for a realistic durability assessment and details the "Torrent Method" for non-destructive measurement of air-permeability. It also delivers answers for some vexing questions:

• Should the coefficient of permeability be expressed in m² or m/s?


• How to get a "mean" pore radius of concrete from gas-permeability tests?


• Why should permeability preferably be measured on site?


• How can service life of reinforced concrete structures be predicted by site testing of gas-permeability and cover thickness?

Practitioners will find stimulating examples on how to predict the coming service life of new structures and the remaining life of existing structures, based on site testing of air-permeability and cover thickness. Researchers will value theoretical principles, testing methods, as well as how test results reflect the influence of concrete mix composition and processing.

Table of Contents:

1. Durability Performance of Concrete Structures.  2. Permeability as Key Concrete Property.  3. Theory: Concrete Microstructure and Transport of Matter.  4. Test Methods to Measure Permeability of Concrete.  5. ‘Torrent’ NDT Method for Coefficient of Air-Permeability.  6. Effect of Key Technological Factors on Concrete Permeability.  7. Why Durability Needs to be Assessed on Site?  8. Why Air-Permeability kT as Durability Indicator?  9. Service Life Assessment Based on Site Permeability Tests.  10. The Role of Permeability in Explosive Spalling Under Fire.  11. Real Cases of kT Test Applications on Site.  12. Epilogue: The Future.  Appendix A. Transport Test Methods Other Than Permeability.  Appendix B. Model Standard for Measuring the Coefficient of Air-Permeability kT of Hardened Concrete.