Summary:

The paper comprises analysis of significant problems that determine durability of hydrotechnical concrete in structures and comments on activity of international research teams working on design fundamentals of structures duration. Authors on the basis of the EN 1990 standard have computed the characteristic predicted lifetime of the weir structures on the Odra river. Necessity of changes in design requirements for hydrotechnical concrete has been underlined, attempting to gain considerably more durable structures. On the basis of the analysis an evaluation of durability of concrete structures in weirs built since 1975 on the Odra river has been made.