ABSTRACT
The durability design of concrete structures can be treated methodologically in the same way as traditional static or dynamic design. Statistical theory is based on the probability of failure taking into account the time as a parameter of the performance function and of the loading function. Different generalized capacities like loading capacity, tightness, deflections, cracking, smoothness of the surface and visual fitness are treated as performance. The generalized loadings include all environmental effects on the structure such as loadings and weathering (sun, temperature changes, frost, moisture, pollutants, etc).
The practical deterministic durability design is based on the partial safety factor method. In addition to the ordinary partial safety factors of the materials and loadings, the lifetime safety factor is introduced. The lifetime safety factor is defined as the ratio between the design service life and the target service life. The structural design procedure includes mechanical design, durability design and final design, where the mechanical performance parameters and the durability performance parameters are combined together. For the durability, a selection of performance and service life calculation models are selected. Those models together with more detailed descriptions are presented in the report of RlLEM TC 130 -CSL, on which this article is mainly based.
