4 ms·
Reinforced concrete suffers from carbonation. The concrete is base, but slowly get's neutralized by carbon dioxide. Once this has been done, the concrete no lon
by vlehto 10y ago
Reinforced concrete suffers from carbonation. The concrete is base, but slowly get's neutralized by carbon dioxide. Once this has been done, the concrete no longer chemically protects the rebar inside. Then if we take into account that most concrete is porous and has moisture content, that rebar is going to rust relatively quickly. When it rusts, it expands breaking away the covering cement.
Typically reinforced concrete has lifespan ranging from 60 to 150 years. Wood in colder climates often has similar lifespan.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concrete_cover https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concrete_cover
- brudgers 10y agoOrdinary buildings are considered to have a lifespan of thirty years. That doesn't mean that they won't be around longer, but that there is often a point of diminishing economic returns in designing for a longer life cycle because maintenance tends to become a primary factor...for example thirty years is a long life for a roof system or the sealant joints upon which modern buildings rely.
- dredmorbius 10y agoWould you happen to have a reference for that 30 year lifespan? Is that residential, commercial, industrial, all, other?
- vlehto 10y agoI'd like to know that too. Never heard anything shorter than 60 years. But my sources are vague. Stuff heard at civil engineering class and my dad who is construction engineer.