Historic Concrete: The Background to Appraisal

In the last 100 years concrete has had a greater impact on our surroundings and indirectly on our way of life than any other material. This historical overview of the structural use of concrete will provide a valuable source of information for those dealing with this legacy. Britain has a vast number of concrete structures of varying ages. While these often need to be appraised, repaired or altered, the opacity of concrete as a material presents unique problems with the assessment of the existing structure. It may be difficult to determine whether the concrete in question is mass concrete, reinforced or prestressed or perhaps not structural at all, but only masking a steel frame. As the best starting point for appraisal is some knowledge of what is likely to be found at different dates and with different types of structure, this book will provide vital information for engineers who find themselves facing these challenges. Historic concrete deals predominantly with concrete in Britain, but makes reference to discoveries and works in other countries where these have influenced practice in Britain. It examines the history of reinforced and prestressed concrete and also includes chapters covering military applications of concrete and its use in tunnels, roads and pavements, water-retaining structures and dams. With an extensive list of references as well as an appendix with proprietary reinforcement systems, this book will be useful for all structural engineers and will also interest architects, surveyors, historians of construction and general readers.