CONCRETE DURABILITY TESTING

Durability test of concrete is done to determine the resistance to physical or chemical deterioration of concrete resulting from interaction with environment (physical deterioration) or interaction between constituents (chemical deterioration) of concrete. A durable concrete ensures corrosion resistance of embedded steel which in turn ensures a better longevity of the structure as a whole. Concrete in structures in the coastal areas are the most susceptible to chemical deterioration as sea water, with high concentration of chloride ions, has quite a detrimental effect on durability of concrete. In these cases, the lower the chloride permeability, the better the durability of concrete.

Types of test done to know the durability of concrete are-

• Rapid Chloride Penetration Test (RCPT).
• Water Permeability of Concrete (WP).
• Initial Surface Absorption Test (ISAT).
• Water Absorption (WA).