EVALUATION OF THE DURABILITY OF REINFORCED CONCRETE STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS IN STRUCTURES LOCATED IN MANTA MANABÍ, ECUADOR

Abstract

The durability of structural elements was evaluated in nine reinforced concrete structures located at different distance from the coastline, in a coastal zone of the Manta canton belonging to the Manabi province, Ecuador. The comprehensive behavior of the determined parameters such as Compressive Strength, obtained from Sclerometry, Apparent Resistivity, Corrosion Current Intensity, as an indicator of atmospheric corrosion in the reinforcement steel, and the Carbonation Constant were taken into account. The concrete used in the structural elements did not present the appropriate design for durability, which would have allowed guaranteeing high project service life periods in the selected structures in the study zone. It was possible to estimate the type of service life in which the structures could be found, from the carried out of this study on site. The Ic values allowed us to demonstrate that the structures are in its final and residual service life. According to the statistical model fitted, based on multiple linear regression, the Rc due to its influence on k_c and the Ic, was a determining and very important factor in the casting of concrete, before proceeding with the building works of the structures that are intended to be located in coastal zone of high construction potential not only in Manabí, but along the entire coastline of Ecuador. The determined values of k_c, in terms of its classification, even predicted in time, a parameter not widely used in diagnostic studies on site and not only in Ecuado.