19-17: Life-Cycle Cost Analysis for Concrete Cooling Towers

The deterioration of concrete cooling towers and the cost of repairing, rehabilitating, or replacing deteriorated tower structures is a major issue for tower owners and operators. This paper explores the application of a Life-Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) as a useful tool to predict and schedule maintenance and repair tasks for concrete cooling towers. Factors that affect the durability of concrete cooling tower structures, including concrete cover to reinforcement, type of reinforcement, concrete material properties, admixtures, concrete surface treatments, and environmental exposure, are discussed as input parameters to concrete service life prediction models.