DIAGNOSIS AND ASSESSMENT OF DEFECTIVE CONCRETE STRUCTURES

The management and maintenance of an ageing and progressively deteriorating engineering infrastructure is a worldwide problem for civil and structural engineers. Various approaches can be used for managing infrastructure stock such as bridges, buildings and pipelines. Specific techniques include preventive maintenance, just in time maintenance, repair, strengthening, retrofitting and other life extension procedures, as well as complete and partial replacement. Such techniques tend to be very expensive, and it follows that a prime objective of infrastructure management must be to maintain stock at an acceptable level of effectiveness over a designated planning period at minimum cost. This objective can usually best be achieved by applying a strategic mix of techniques. An essential preliminary step in infrastructure management is the assessment of each major item of existing stock in order to determine its current condition, to identify any defects, inadequacies and faults, to predict the future rate of deterioration, and hence to devise an appropriate management program of corrective work and maintenance. The present paper discusses the processes of structural assessment and diagnosis of defects for the specific case of an existing concrete building. A terminology for assessment, diagnosis and repair is introduced in which structural defect is identified with increased risk of failure. This allows the process of assessment to be linked with the philosophy of limit states design. Unfortunately, many civil and structural engineers are not well equipped, either by training or experience, to assess structures and diagnose structural defects. In view of the lack of expertise in this field, a computer based expert system advisor is currently being developed to provide advice and assistance for the diagnostic process.

• Corporate Authors:

  University of Adelaide

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  Adelaide, South Australia  Australia  5005
• Authors:
  • HUA, W-G
  • Griffith, M C
  • WARNER, R F
• Publication Date: 1989-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 19 p.
• Serial:
  • Issue Number: R83

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Concrete; Costs; Design; Deterioration; Evaluation and assessment; Expert systems; Failure; Forecasting; Hazards; Maintenance; Management; Planning; Repairing; Risk assessment; Slabs; Ultimate load design
• Geographic Terms: Australia
• Old TRIS Terms: Floor slab
• ITRD Terms: 155: Administration; 8006: Australia; 3482: Bridge deck; 4755: Concrete; 224: Cost; 9011: Design (overall design); 5255: Deterioration; 9020: Evaluation (assessment); 8626: Expert system; 5520: Failure; 132: Forecast; 6452: Limit; 3847: Maintenance; 143: Planning; 3635: Repair; 9150: Risk
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Design; Finance; Maintenance and Preservation; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00498217
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Sep 30 1990 12:00AM