ABSTRACT
All engineering materials deteriorate with time, at rates dependent upon the type of material, the severity of the environment, and the deterioration mechanisms involved. In engineering terms, the objective is to select the most cost-effective combination of materials to achieve the required design life. In doing so, it is critical to realise that the nature and rate of deterioration of materials is a function of their environment. Accordingly, the environment is a ‘load’ on a material as a force is a ‘load’ on a structural component. It is the synergistic combination of the structural load and environmental load which determines the performance of the structural component. Durability Planning is a system which formalises the process of achieving durability through appropriate design, construction, and maintenance. Key aspects of Durability Planning are examined in this chapter. Limit states including durability limit state (DLS), serviceability limit state (SLS), and ultimate limit state (ULS) are discussed. Service life design is considered. Durability assessment checklist (DAC) examples are included for a buried aggressive exposure a 100-year design life case study, and a marine exposure 100-, 150-, and 200-year design lives case study.
