Proceedings pro029 : 2nd International RILEM Workshop on Life Prediction and Aging Management of Concrete Structures

Civil infrastructure facilities, such as industrial buildings, transportation, dam and navigation facilities, and nuclear power plants, include concrete structures whose performance and function are necessary for the safety and protection of operating personnel and the general public. Aging of these structures may adversely impact their ability to withstand future operating conditions, extreme environmental challenges or accidents, and increase risk to public safety if not controlled. Methodologies for service life prediction of concrete structures and to manage the effects of aging currently are under development in many fields of civil engineering. Recent improvements have been made with respect to surveillance, inspection/testing, and maintenance techniques to help ensure continued safe, functional, and economical operation of concrete structures. The state-of-the-art has progressed to the point that specific guidelines and technical criteria required to meet these objectives in existing and new concrete construction can be proposed.

The 2nd International RILEM Workshop on Life Prediction and Aging Management of Concrete Structures was held 5-6 May 2003 in Paris, France. It brought together experts for the purpose of defining the current state-of-the-art with respect to modeling aging of concrete structures and providing recommendations (to the extent possible) for a unified approach to facility management. Participants included designers and engineers, facility managers, researchers, and regulators. The Workshop provided an international forum for highlighting recent advances in the technology underlying aging management and service life prediction of concrete structures. Approaches to service life prediction, performance monitoring, and aging management of industrial buildings, bridges and other transportation structures, dams, and navigation facilities were presented and critically appraised. The Workshop updated participants on research, presented novel ideas and strategies for management of aging of infrastructure-related facilities, provided an opportunity for exchanging practical experiences on implementation of aging management policies, and initiated new approaches to aging management. The Workshop strongly emphasized the practical aspects and the links between research and real applications. Thirty-seven papers from 20 countries were presented at the workshop. The papers were selected by members of the Scientific Committee. A sampling of specific topics that were discussed at the Workshop included:

1. Durability of concrete structures
2. Modeling techniques for service life prediction
3. Material selection and design considerations for durability
4. Assessment methods and instrumentation systems
5. Maintenance and repair approaches for service life extension
6. Probabilistic approaches to performance estimation
7. Aging management
8. Risk-informed decision-making
9. Case histories, performance assessments of degraded structures,
and economics of successful aging management

Contents

Session 1: Modeling/Numerical Simulation/Service Life Prediction

Session 2: Monitoring/Testing/Assessment

Session 3: Strategies/Life Cycle Analysis/Repair/Applications