Editorial

This issue of Advances in Cement Research brings together a selection of articles around the common theme of nonstandard durability testing. It is likely a similar situation across the globe, but 50% of the UK's national construction budget is being spent on maintenance and repair. Thus, there is an urgent need to understand the long-term performance of materials. This is nothing new, and this has been a focus of many researchers for many years. Indeed, there is a host of standards focussing on the durability of cementitious materials. However, two issues arise which stress the need for a more detailed understanding of deterioration mechanisms.