1 Mapping the variability of carbonation progress using GIS techniques and field data: a case study of the Limassol district Elia A. Tantele*, Renos A. Votsis, Chris Danezis, Constantina Anastasiou, Nikolas Georgiou Department of Civil Engineering and Geomatics, Cyprus University of Technology, Saripolou 2-8, 3036, Limassol, Cyprus * corresponding author, elia.tantele@cut.ac.cy ; tel: +35725002523; fax:+35725002769 Abstract Carbonation induced corrosion of the steel reinforcement is the major deterioration factor of the RC infrastructures in urban areas. Carbonation progress in concrete is influenced by the exposure and environmental conditions prevailing at each area. Therefore the rate of deterioration due to carbonation varies at different areas. Field measurements can quantify this carbonation progress for specific structures and areas. However, the scattered nature of individual field data offers little information to be considered for the assessment of existing structures or the design of new structures. This study aims to bridge this gap and show that individual field data can be combined to characterise an area using GIS mapping tools. A generated map can depict the variability of carbonation progress with the geographical location. Measurements of the carbonation depth of several buildings at different locations in the Limassol district have been provided by a construction lab. Such information can be used to depict the carbonation progress on each structure through the calculation of the carbonation factor and then portray its value using mapping techniques. The result is a corrosion risk map of the Limassol district depicting the variability of carbonation progress with geographical locations. This can be used by engineers and managing authorities as a prediction tool for the initiation of carbonation induced corrosion in existing structures and also at design stage to set the durability requirements of the concrete cover depth. Keywords: Corrosion risk, Carbonation, field measurements, GIS, RC buildings 1 Introduction Corrosion of steel can cause serious damage to the infrastructures leading in many cases to catastrophic failures which highlights its hazardous nature (Roberge 2012). In particular, corrosion of the steel reinforcement is the leading cause of deterioration in reinforced concrete (RC) structures (Bertolini et al. 2013). Its detrimental effects perturb the structure’s stability and most importantly threatens the user's safety. As a result significant financial resources are needed every year to address corrosion effects either by necessary repairs or preventative maintenance. According to Roberge (2007), the annual corrosion costs range from 1~5% of the GNP of countries such as United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Australia, Finland, India and China.