An air-permeability coefficient kT NDT, developed by the author, has been standardized in Switzerland, Japan, Argentina and Perú. Over 480 publications testify the widespread acceptance of the test method. In this paper, its application to important structures in USA and China are presented. When dealing with steel corrosion risk, the assessment of the thickness of the cover is as important as its permeability. One case shows the negative impact of lack of curing on the service life of precast segments constituting the Port of Miami Tunnel in the USA. Other two cases show the probabilistic assessment of service life by NDT methods, compared to the analytical predictions, for large submerged precast elements of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau sea link and for precast piers of the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port Main Channel, both in the P.R. China. The cases show the importance of measuring the quality (air-permeability kT) and thickness (covermeters) of the concrete cover on site, for a realistic assessment of the durability and service life of structural reinforced concrete elements.