A review on concrete's durability in India – Framework for performance-based approach

Concrete is considered the most known and commonly utilized building material because of its minimal expense, flexibility, and adaptability. When exposed to hostile chloride or carbonation-induced conditions, reinforced concrete (RC) constructions have deteriorated before their projected service life. The deterioration is due to the wrong understanding that the concrete will last long enough if it only meets the necessary strength criteria. This presumption ignores the variations caused by the site activities such as placing, consolidating, finishing, and curing of concrete. In other words, the concrete used in compressive strength specimens bears little correlation to the concrete used in actual structures. This extensive review provides a comprehensive overview of the progress towards performance-based requirements for ensuring the long-term durability of RC structures. It also presents the evolution of codal provisions in enhancing durability and the acceptance criteria of various durability indicators for concrete mixes.