Performance Evaluation of Patch Repairs on Historic Concrete Structures (PEPS): An Overview of the Project Methodology

Abstract The development of reinforced concrete through the 20th century has resulted in a wealth of culturally significant concrete structures around the world. However, as a relatively modern material durability issues were not fully understood at the time of construction, and many of these structures require ongoing interventions as a result. While there is now a general acceptance of the importance of concrete heritage from this era, there few widely accepted guidelines on the approach to its preservation and conservation. In particular, despite many studies and published guidance on concrete repair and the performance of concrete repairs, there are few on the long-term performance of patch repairs designed to match the aesthetic of the original while simultaneously keeping loss of the original fabric to a minimum. As a response to this challenge, three institutions, the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI), Historic England (HE) and Laboratoire de Recherche des Monuments Historiques (LRMH) are collaborating on The Performance Evaluation of Patch Repairs on Historic Concrete Structures (PEPS) to produce practical guidance that will help those repairing historic concrete. This paper provides an overview of the assessment methodology that has been developed as part of this international collaboration.