Environemental Factors

• Above ground conditions:

1. Climate
2. atmospheric pollution
3. exposure condition
4. atmospheric condition

• Below ground conditions:

1. nature of subsoil ,
2. drainage
3. site stability

• Weather conditions such as sunlight , wind , rainfall , temperatures & atmospheric humidity , have profound effects upon the durability of materials & their behaviour .
• Some which have high durability in warm , dry conditions would have a reduced life in very humid conditions & vice versa .
• Stability of a site may be affected by chemically aggressive soils or groundwater , inadequate drainage as well as large-scale seismic movements
• Different exposure conditions within the same climatic zone may result in varying severity of rain penetration & hence different effects upon durability of materials .