Concrete is the most common and widely used building material because of its relatively low cost, flexibility, and adaptability. Recent historical experience indicates that with exposed to aggressive chloride or carbonation-induced conditions, the reinforced concrete (RC) structures deteriorate prior to the expected service life. This is because of the general assumption that the concrete must be sufficiently durable if the strength requirements are adequate. The variability of concrete arising from the actual concreting procedures, such as placement, consolidation, finishing, and curing, does not take this assumption into account. In other words, the concrete cast for compressive strength in the specimens shows no similarity to the concrete in the actual structure. This paper provides a thorough analysis of the advancements that are taking place to achieve the long-term reliability of RC structures based on performance specifications. Keywords: reinforced concrete, service life, compressive strength, performance specification, durability, carbonation, chloride ions