The use of surface coatings to increase the service life of reinforced concrete structures for durability class XC.

The ability of cementitious and acrylic coatings to protect concrete against carbonation was investigated by subjecting coated and uncoated samples to accelerated UV loads and subsequently measuring accelerated carbonation. Based on the correlation between accelerated and equivalent natural carbonation an equivalent oxygen permeability index (OPI) value was calculated for the coated samples using previously established correlations between carbonation and oxygen permeability. The OPI in turn was used as an input parameter in a performance-based carbonation prediction model, which resulted in the quantification of additional service life offered by the various coatings, depending on cover depth and exposure condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]