Durability of Building Materials and Components in the Agricultural Environment, Part III: Concrete Structures

This final part of the literature review gives an overview of the knowledge on durability of concrete structures, concrete being undeniably one of the most frequently used building materials for solid and slatted floors in animal houses and for manure and silage storage structures. Resistance against corrosion caused by lactic and acetic acids is of major importance both for floors and silos. Concrete manure tanks, walls of manure pits in animal houses and the underside of concrete slats and slabs are exposed to biogenic sulphuric acid corrosion. Different demands for producing a high-quality and durable concrete structure are discussed. This includes correct specification of the concrete mix (water/cement ratio, cement content), compaction and curing. The influence of the cement type, pozzolanic additions, aggregate type, polymer additions, application of cement-bound surface layers, impregnation with water repellents or pore blockers and application of coatings, on the corrosion resistance is reviewed.