Probabilistic performace assessment of concrete structures subjected to corrosion process

Probabilistic performace assessment of concrete structures subjected to corrosion process

Paper in proceedings (conference paper)

In general, all structures are subjected to deterioration due to environmental and traffic actions over their life time. Maintaining an adequate safety level over trheir entire service life is thun not only an expensive task, but also filled with some level of uncertainty. Degradation in itself is not easily quantifiable because numerous aspects reduce the load bearing capacity of a structure. Furthermore, the development of actions over the multi-decade life time as well as the efects of preventive maintenance and rehabilitation measures is difficult to predict. For concrete bridges (chloride induced) reinforcement corrosion is in many cases the governing deterioration process, especially in regions where winter salt is commonly applied for traffic safety. This paper introduces a feasible approach to analyse the effects of chloride induced deterioration on the safety level, which is validated by the application to a real highway bridge. A probabilistic prgnosis of the corrosion processes during the planned service life of the structure accounts for uncertainties in the experimental investigations, material properties and actions and provides the inputs for a long term performance assessment. In particular, comprehensive probabilistic analyses reveal the time dependent reliability levels with respect to code based serviceability and ultimate limit states.

In general, all structures are subjected to deterioration due to environmental and traffic actions over their life time. Maintaining an adequate safety level over trheir entire service life is thun not only an expensive task, but also filled with some level of uncertainty. Degradation in itself is not easily quantifiable because numerous aspects reduce the load bearing capacity of a structure. Furthermore, the development of actions over the multi-decade life time as well as the efects of preventive maintenance and rehabilitation measures is difficult to predict. For concrete bridges (chloride induced) reinforcement corrosion is in many cases the governing deterioration process, especially in regions where winter salt is commonly applied for traffic safety. This paper introduces a feasible approach to analyse the effects of chloride induced deterioration on the safety level, which is validated by the application to a real highway bridge. A probabilistic prgnosis of the corrosion processes during the planned service life of the structure accounts for uncertainties in the experimental investigations, material properties and actions and provides the inputs for a long term performance assessment. In particular, comprehensive probabilistic analyses reveal the time dependent reliability levels with respect to code based serviceability and ultimate limit states.

probabilistic, performace, assessment, concrete, corrosion process

probabilistic, performace, assessment, concrete, corrosion process

STRAUSS, A.; WENDNER, R.; BERGMEISTER, K.; TEPLÝ, B.; NOVÁK, D.

2013

08.07.2012

Italy

978-0-415-62124-3

Bridge Maintenance, Safety, Management, Resilience and Sustainability

683

690

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