At the meeting of the Commission on Practical Construction held during the 1982 FIP Congress in Stockholm, it was agreed that a Working Group should be formed to consider concrete construction under extreme climatic conditions. As an initial step, it was decided that a Guide to Good Practice for concrete construction in hot weather should be prepared. If appropriate, the Commission might later undertake studies of the problems associated with other extreme climatic conditions, such as those occurring in very cold environments.

During the past ten years, construction activity has greatly increased in hot regions of the world, while the volume of construction has substantially declined in many areas having a moderate climate, including most industrialised countries. In view of this, and bearing in mind that the 1986 FIP Congress had been scheduled to be held in New Delhi, it was considered appropriate to combine experience available in India with relevant know-how from other regions.

The Commission appointed Mr P. J. Jagus of India as Chairman. He formed a Working Group which held all its meetings in India, with non-Asian members contributing by correspondence. This method worked extremely well and encouraged the Commission to adopt a similar approach in the future.

During production, concrete is strongly influenced by climatic conditions, and there is a direct link between the care taken and the durability of the concrete in service. Although concrete has generally proved to be a successful structural material in hot regions, mistakes have occurred which have necessitated subsequent repair and strengthening.

It is my hope that this report will be accepted by the industry as a useful guide for concrete work in hot climates. I wish to thank the Chairman and the members of the Working Group for their great efforts in preparing this document.