Three new books on concrete arrived on my desk recently, all published in the U.K by Whittles Publishing. While these books tend to be research oriented, there is lots of practical knowledge about concrete as well. Anyone working with concrete who wants to learn about the newest developments will find gems of knowledge in these books.
Concrete in Extreme Environments: Concrete can be used successfully in places where no other construction material could survive. But to design, construct, and maintain these structures relies upon the experience others have had, both good and bad. In this book, a variety of authors describe their experience in using concrete in such environments as concrete dams, sewer networks, heavily-salted roadways, nuclear waste containers, and offshore wind-turbine towers. These structures are under attack by a variety of chemical and physical forces. Survival depends upon recognizing what the environment is throwing at the concrete and having a deep understanding of these forces both in the lab and in service.
Concrete for the Modern Age—Developments in Materials and Processes: Thirty-nine papers in this volume provide interesting theory and applicable practice blended with research findings – from the application of 3D printing to performance-based specifications and the role of concrete in the development of Oman – to produce a volume of value to many engineers and technologists. There are discussions on durability in various environments and the use of special materials such as self-consolidating concrete, fiber-reinforced concrete, microsilica, fly-ash, and various admixtures. These proceedings are from a conference sponsored by the Institute of Concrete Technology.
Durability of Concrete Structures: These proceedings from the Sixth international Conference on Durability of Concrete Structures (ICDCS) are a key source of information about concrete durability from around the world. Topics covered include materials technology, performance assessment, service life concepts, and re-use/recycling in the context of sustainable design. The influence of the constituent materials and methods of improving durability are explored in detail. The aim is to present and discuss recent progress and latest developments in materials technology, assessment of performance both in laboratories and on site, service life concepts, reuse and recycling of construction materials, and products to enable concrete construction to be durable and sustainable.
