Jan Bijen - Delft University of Technology The Netherlands

World-wide chloride-initiated corrosion of reinforcement is by far the most important cause of deterioration in concrete structures. The Persian Gulf is probably the most aggressive region in that respect. In the early eighties it was estimated that more than 90% of the structures in the area were suffering from reinforcement corrosion. Western Concrete Technology was often used in the Middle East without much moctification. The higher temperatures and salt content of the Gulf were not taken into account. I will discuss the main factors which determine the service life of a structure subject to chloride ingress. I will show that it is possible to build reinforced concrete structures with no protection of the reinforcement other than concrete cover and that additional measures to protect the rei