Review and Prospect of National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)Grants in Field of Durability of Concrete Structures(1987-2023)
ZHAO Yuxi
ZHANG Peng
Abstract：The funding characteristics and research evolution of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)in the field of concrete structure durability over the past 40 years were systematically analyzed.An analysis of more than 1 300 approved projects was conducted.The results show that the funding scale in this field has experienced a leap through four stages:basic cultivation,demand enhancement,scale expansion,and innovation leadership.The research in this field has the characteristics of environmental responsiveness and regional relevance:the Yangtze River Delta,Pearl River Delta,and northern coastal areas have formed innovation hubs in the fields of chloride ion erosion and steel bar corrosion,while the central and western regions and Northeast China have achieved breakthroughs in aspects such as freeze-thaw/salt corrosion coupling.The funded projects are divided into two categories:material science and structural engineering.The material science category focuses on the performance evolution and deterioration mechanism of cement-based materials,and the structural engineering category focuses on the degradation mechanism of the service performance of concrete structures throughout their whole life cycle—both provide theoretical support for the construction of major projects.In the future,low-carbon,durable,and high-performance materials and structural systems will be developed,the application of artificial intelligence will be promoted,zoned planning and collaborative innovation will be deepened,and the exploration of extreme service conditions will be expanded.
Keywords：national natural science foundationconcrete durabilityenvironmental responselife cycle
Publication Date：2026-01-31
Online Publishing Date：2026-03-17(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：17( 1-17 )