Abstract: Concrete is a key basic material for the construction of hydraulic and hydropower projects in China. However, as a typical porous medium material, it is prone to ionic erosion, product corrosion, and matrix cracking in the environment of hydraulic engineering, leading to corroded reinforcement and reduced structural bearing capacity. At present, the existing concrete materials are difficult to satisfy the requirements by the design of long-life, high-quality projects in hydraulic and hydropower engineering in the western plateau or the southern coastal regions. This paper first summarizes the damage mechanism and challenges faced by traditional hydraulic concrete structural materials under severe environments, and then discusses in detail the long-life design method and performance enhancement mechanism of these concrete materials. Finally, we give an outlook on the future application and development of artificial intelligence in the long-life design and use of such materials, so as to provide new methods and new ideas for safe operation and maintenance and long-lasting service of the national major hydraulic and hydropower projects.

Key words: hydraulic concrete, severe environments, damage mechanisms, long-life design, artificial intelligence