Assessment and Conservation of Modernist Concrete

Concrete technology proliferated in post-war Europe as engineers and architects began producing groundbreaking building designs and civil structures with structural concrete. For modern practitioners and those responsible for stewardship of post-war era heritage, maintaining these concrete structures can be technically challenging. It is important to understand the significance and construction of these concrete structures, including material constituents of the concrete, unique characteristics, and extent and causes of deterioration as well as project requirements and goals. Proper repair techniques and conservation treatments are critical to preserving their significance and value.

In this webinar, WJE engineers Blake Andrews, Paul Gaudette and Ann Harrer discuss the history and development of 20th century concrete technology with case studies that demonstrate a range of repair and conservation approaches.

By the end of the webinar, you will be able to:

• Explain the history of concrete and its importance in the modern construction era
• Detail challenges with the conservation of modernist concrete structures
• Define approaches for the maintenance of historic concrete, including regular inspection of concrete in order to establish baseline conditions, identify needed repairs, and develop a maintenance program
• Describe the investigation process, including the importance of laboratory analysis, trial samples, mock-ups, full-scale repairs, and quality control measures

more to learn

View this webinar in our interactive audience console to earn 1 AIA HSW learning unit, access related resources, submit questions to the presenters, and download a certificate of completion.