Durability Issues in Reinforced Concrete Construction in Tropical Maritime Environment

Reinforced concrete has been a traditional structural material for numerous constructions in Malaysia where tropical climatic conditions prevail. The combination of constant high temperatures and high humidity levels is a regular feature in this region. Adverse environmental conditions are imposed on structures located within coastal and maritime areas where maritime influences are prevalent in addition to the high temperatures and humidity levels. Exposure of the structural elements to salt sprays and sea water containing high chloride concentrations pose a significant challenge to the durability of the structure. The mechanism of concrete deterioration in a tropical maritime environment will be discussed. An integrated approach in mitigating these shortfalls will be described. In essence, the durability of a reinforced concrete construction is the combined result of three processes, namely mix design, concrete production and workmanship. It most instance control of workmanship in the placement of the concrete into its formwork has been left to the competence level of the site team. Frequently, this has resulted in undesirable qualities of the finished product. Current research into development of self-compacting concrete, which aims to mitigate this shortfall by improving the control of placement conditions of the concrete in its final form, is also discussed.