ABSTRACT
The successful use of concrete as a construction material extends back two millennia to the days of the Romans – and one of their greatest structures, the Pantheon, is still providing excellent service (Delatte 2001). On the other hand, some concrete structures and facilities built since then have had considerably shorter service lives. Careful selection of concrete materials and careful mixture design and proportioning, combined with good design and construction practices, is a key contributor to success. Durability is addressed in Guide to Durable Concrete, 201.2R-01 (ACI Committee 201 2001). Pasko (1998) states that
a good pavement designer should also be a concrete expert. Some facts to be kept in mind are:
• In the United States, there are 118 cement plants, each producing a variety of “unique” products under broad specifications. From personal experience on a research project, five Type I cements from different plants ranged in 28-day strength from 2738 to 4975 psi (19 to 34 MPa).
