Historic concrete buildings (end of 19th century – 1960s), because of their
“experimental” character, require a specific approach to both survey and conservation.
Although they were built with empirical approaches, some buildings show a fair state of
conservation and resilience –even though they have already exceeded the 100-year
threshold– while others of comparable age are in severe need of restoration.
As part of the European project CONSECH20, aimed at contributing to the conservation
of cultural-heritage concrete buildings, this paper investigates what are the most common
types of damage and hypothetical causes, and what direct and non-direct parameters can lead
to a faster or slower deterioration of historic concrete in the Netherlands. The research is
based on an initial screening study, which will be used as a basis for a larger research among
the participant countries.
The current research is divided in three phases. Firstly, a selection of 15 case studies
from the Netherlands are investigated; the selection was based on criteria of age, state of
conservation and type of ownership. Secondly, the history and materials of the buildings
are examined. Thirdly, an on-site visual survey is performed per each building, with pre-
design templates, to identify types of damage, extent and severity. The data is then analysed
combining different factors with a calculated index of severity. Results are discussed and
contrasted to provide further clarification of the degradation of historic concrete. A fourth
phase, not discussed in this paper, will use this methodology in a broader context, with a
larger number of case studies in different countries.
The results indicate that the majority of types of damage are related to corrosion, being
the hypothetical cause carbonation-induced corrosion. The outcomes of the investigation
point out that the factors with a higher impact on the durability are the environment,
the use and maintenance of the buildings, the existence of a sacrificial plaster in exposed
elements, and the type of ownership.
Considering the limited number of buildings, the conclusions presented in this paper will
be further contrasted with a larger number of case studies.
Abstract
Historic concrete buildings (end of 19th century – 1960s), because of their
“experimental” character, require a specific approach to both survey and conservation.
Although they were built with empirical approaches, some buildings show a fair state [...]