A great deal of research and literature has been produced on repairing concrete structures, but very little aimed at conserving the character or appearance of historic examples. This volume offers guidance as to how that should be done. It includes a brief history of the use of the material and explains the criteria for listing, before assessing decay mechanisms and determining appropriate repair strategies.

This volume traces the process by which reinforced concrete emerged during the 19th century as the successful building material of today. Early work on testing the strength of cements led into a period of experimental work by a number of engineers, notably in Britain, France and America, to devise successful systems of embedding iron in concrete in such a way that the two materials would act together to carry imposed loads. The papers take the story to the early years of the 20th century and provide a thorough review of the gradual evolution of ideas and the contributions of individuals to this technology.