Modern concrete materials are generally characterised by durability qualities. However, under certain circumstances the interaction with water may lead to serious chemical alterations which shorten the service life of buildings. In the case of tunnels and other underground constructions the costs for renovations are extremely high. In order to initiate protective countermeasures against corrosive damages it is important to understand the deterioration processes.

Although concrete corrosion has many different faces, there are some general phenomena, which are observed in most field studies of deteriorated concrete.