DURABILITY OF CONCRETE STRUCTURES IN THE HOSTILE SERVICE ENVIRONMENT OF DESALINATION PLANTS

Water desalination plants are needed in arid areas and are situated by the sea shore where salt mist is abundant, fresh water is scarce and environment is hot and humid. These combined factors create a very hos tile environment for the components and structures of a desalination p lant. Most significantly affected by this environment are concrete str uctures, in particular intake and circulating water structures. While concrete is a very versatile and durable material it takes considerabl e effort, knowledge and special techniques to produce a durable materi al capable of surviving such harsh environment. Countless number of fa ctors must be carefully selected, sequenced and processed to meet the challenges of such hostile service condition. The paper discusses the concrete deterioration mechanisms commonly encountered in desalination plants, and presents mitigating measures taken to minimize these cond itions. Such measures include parameters related to concrete constitue nt material properties and selection, concrete mix proportions, enviro nmental conditions, construction practices and continued surveillance and maintenance procedures. In addition, certain design considerations and other approaches taken to minimize the potential for concrete det erioration are also addressed.