Diagnosis of the surface layer damage in a 1960s reinforced concrete building

This work aimed to determine the degradation causes of the Palace of Public Works located in S. Giovanni square in Turin (Piedmont, Italy). The samples collected from the surface layer were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric coupled with differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), mercury intrusion porosimetry measurements (MIP) and phenolphthalein test. Metallographic and elemental analyses were also carried out on the steel reinforcing bars. An exhaustive picture of the main causes of deterioration was drawn in order to design the intervention of rehabilitation.