Abstract:

At present, the design related to durability of reinforced concrete structures has a major importance. This is related to the effects of the aggressive agents present in the environment, which could produce severe damages in these structures, preventing their use under the conditions for which they were designed along part of their service life.

Therefore, it is necessary that the students of Engineering degrees and master’s degrees acquire different skills related to the durability design of concrete structures, which are the most common type of structures in Europe and especially in Spain.

On the other hand, the new scenario created as a consequence of the introduction of the European Higher Education Area promotes the use of more practical learning and teaching methodologies. In this regard, the laboratory practical classes are a good way to facilitate the learning process, allowing the use of new methodologies, such as problem-based learning methodology.

In this work, it is described a proposal of laboratory practical classes related to the durability of reinforced concrete structures for Engineering degrees and master’s degrees, in order to complete the knowledge related to this topic acquired by the students in the theoretical and other types of practical classes (practical exercises or computer classes). This proposal is especially designed for being put into practice in several subjects of the Materials, Water and Soil Engineering master´s degree at University of Alicante (Spain), although it is valid for subjects of other Engineering degrees or master’s degrees related to the design and control of reinforced concrete structures.

Along these laboratory practical classes, the students will prepare the cement-based materials which will be used for the different tests. Between the different tests performed, the most important ones are the chloride migration test, the capillary absorption test, the electrical resistivity test, as well as the monitoring of the reinforcement corrosion process in aggressive environment. The microstructure of the cement-based materials will also be characterised using several techniques such as mercury intrusion porosimetry, impedance spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope. Finally, a problem-based learning methodology will be followed, in which the students must decide the most adequate test to perform in order to solve specific problems or situations related to the durability of reinforced concrete members.

Keywords:

Engineering, structures, reinforced concrete, laboratory practical classes, European Higher Education Area, durability, problem-based learning methodology.