ABSTRACT
The service life of a structure can most certainly be maximised with minimal expenditure. Maintenance materials and methods to be adopted throughout the service life to achieve optimum whole-of-life cost. The proactive strategy normally requires frequent expenditure resulting in an asset that stays in good condition throughout its operational service life, whereas a reactive strategy is accompanied by major rehabilitation/repair costs when poor condition is reached. Whole-of-life costs are certainly reduced if a durability planning process is adopted. Maintenance actions and costs are predictable. Normally the most demanding are in the oil and gas industry who routinely life-cycle steel structures and have carried it over onto reinforced concrete structures. The proactive strategy normally requires frequent expenditure resulting in an asset that stays in good condition throughout its operational service life whereas a reactive strategy is accompanied by major rehabilitation/repair costs when poor condition is reached.
