Reliability Based Service Life Prediction of Corrosion Affected Concrete Structures

Abstract

A review of the most recently published literature suggests that the prediction of service life of corrosion affected concrete structures remains at the stage of parametric studies, in spite of intensive research on reinforcement corrosion in concrete structures for the past three decades or so. The intention of this paper is to present a performance-based methodology for service life prediction of corrosion affected concrete structures and apply it to flexural members in marine environments. Reliability methods are employed to determine the time period for each phase of service life. It is found that corrosion induced concrete cracking would occur in reinforced concrete flexural members at about 18% of its total service life, and that, once reinforced concrete flexural members become unserviceable due to corrosion induced excessive deflection, there is about 13% of the service life remaining before the structures finally become unsafe. It is concluded that the methodology presented in this paper can serve as a rational tool for decisionmakers with regard to repairs and strengthening of corrosion affected concrete structures. Accurate prediction of each phase of service life of corrosion affected structures can assist structural engineers and asset managers in achieving a cost-effective strategy in the management of reinforced concrete infrastructures.