Report rep021 : Durability of Building Sealants - State-of-the-Art Report of RILEM TC 139-DBS

All building and construction sealants, once installed, are exposed to environmental and service degradation factors which affect their performance over time and ultimately cause them to fail. Replacing failed sealant joints is time consuming and can be expensive, representing a substantial proportion of overall maintenance costs. A thorough understanding of the parameters that affect the durability of sealants is critical for predicting their service life and the associated life cycle costs. In order to address the issue of building sealant durability, the RILEM Technical Committee 139-DBS was inaugurated in 1991.

This volume contains the state-of-the-art report prepared by members of RILEM TC139-DBS as well as by specialists outside the committee. The book represents the first complete treatise of building sealant durability and is intended to form the scientific basis for the development of international standards on sealant durability. It is aimed at providing an up-to-date statement of our knowledge in the field of durability of sealants, while highlighting the gaps in our knowledge and identifying areas for further research. It is hoped that this report furthers the advancement of science and technology of building seals, stimulates further research and contributes to the development of new standards on sealant durability.

This book will be of particular interest to senior construction and maintenance engineers, specifiers and architects, development and technical service personnel at sealant manufacturers, as well as researchers at universities and national test and certification institutes

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