ABSTRACT
High-strength concrete is one variety of concrete categorized under the much broader term “high-performance concrete,” or “HPC.” As this book has frequently emphasized, concrete should only be considered as “high performance” provided it has satisfied all necessary performance requirements, not just a few. Though its name might imply bias towards strength, highstrength concrete, like most all structural concretes must satisfy all necessary mechanical, durability and constructability properties in a reasonably economical manner to compete with alternative construction materials. The achievement of satisfactory strength alone does not guarantee favorable longterm durability. In general, stronger concrete may possess better durability potential due to the lower permeability that comes with higher strength; however, depending on the durability property under consideration, steps taken to increase strength may in fact be harmful to long-term durability.
