Service life prediction of steam-cured concrete utilizing in-situ air permeability measurements

Abstract The durability of concrete structures is crucial for their sustainable use; therefore, this study aims to provide a method for their service life prediction. The first stage of the study presents an in-situ air permeability measurement approach to evaluate the carbonation resistance of steam-cured concrete. The changes in properties of steam-cured concrete, including moisture content, air permeability, and carbonation depth of precast concrete elements were first highlighted by discussing normal-cured concretes, produced with different water-to-binder ratios and curing periods. The validity of the proposed approach was then verified by combining the coefficient of air permeability, kT, (using a Torrent tester) and carbonation rate. The results indicate that kT is a good index for predicting carbonation resistance of steam-cured concrete. In the second stage, an application of the kT index for predicting the service life of steam-cured concrete is demonstrated on mock-up box culvert elements produced in a precast concrete plant.