The April 2022 issue of E&T looked at current and future uses of concrete in construction. Here in Quebec, Canada, cold weather down to -35°C in winter and hot weather up to +37°C during summer has a major and violent impact on concrete structures. The atmospheric humidity, hot-cold cycles and the use of de-icing salt on roads and bridges has also contributed to the rapid degradation of everything made of concrete that is located outside. Bridges, overpasses, sidewalks, buildings, monuments, statues... everything.
The quality of concrete was not very high in the past, and some say the new material is much better performing. But still, even today, we can see cracks forming in concrete that was poured just a year ago.
In the past decade, after the collapse of bridges and overpasses made of concrete, a major inspection of all transportation structures was urgently conducted. As a result, many had to be demolished because...