Analysis of structural and material degradation of a car-park’s RC bearing structure due to city environmental influences

Abstract

Many of concrete structures during their working life are subjected to influence of different unfavorable factors that can decrease within time their capacity and serviceability, which finally ends with the need of application of appropriate rehabilitation measures or structure demolition. Issues related to the durability of concrete and reinforced concrete structures in different and continuously variable exploitation conditions touch on all important design and exploitation aspects as: designing and constructing ones, adequate protection of constructional elements against different environmental influences, issues related to the assessment of structure’s technical condition in case of damage occurred as well as the repair and strengthening of structures damaged by different agents. An important part of the investigation also concerns life-cycle design and management of concrete structures. The problems mentioned and some ideas of preparing suitable actions in order to extend exploitation time of deteriorated structures are presented on the basis of analysis of the process of structural degradation of an exemplary reinforced concrete load-bearing structure of a pedestrianized walkway with a car-park, built in the early 80’s of the XX century.