Reinforced concrete (RC) bridge piers located in aggressive environment (for instance close to the sea or underneath a deck subjected to cycles of de-icing salts) may be exposed to an increased seismic vulnerability due to chloride attack. There is, therefore, a need to better understand the actual influence of corrosion degradation on real case studies and to develop practice-oriented approaches and tools for taking degradation into account in the seismic performance assessment of bridge structures.The aim of this article is to partially fill this gap through a parametric analysis of archetype models representative of typical RC piers built in the 1970s and 1980s. The corrosion initiation and propagation process is modelled using state-of-the art time-dependent evolutionary laws. The effects of corro-sion on RC piers are incorporated through accurate finite element fibre models. Emphasis is placed on the effects of corrosion on strength and ductility capacity of RC piers, and on the influence of extent and localisation of corrosion degradation along the pier’s height. The problem is also examined from a practice-oriented perspective, evaluating the reduction in seismic safety of the structure during its life cycle for a given site characterised by medium-high seismic hazard and a moderately aggressive environment.
Life-cycle seismic performance assessment of deteriorating RC bridge piers in aggressive environment
D. Cardone
;G. Perrone;V. Possidente
2026-01-01
Abstract
Reinforced concrete (RC) bridge piers located in aggressive environment (for instance close to the sea or underneath a deck subjected to cycles of de-icing salts) may be exposed to an increased seismic vulnerability due to chloride attack. There is, therefore, a need to better understand the actual influence of corrosion degradation on real case studies and to develop practice-oriented approaches and tools for taking degradation into account in the seismic performance assessment of bridge structures.The aim of this article is to partially fill this gap through a parametric analysis of archetype models representative of typical RC piers built in the 1970s and 1980s. The corrosion initiation and propagation process is modelled using state-of-the art time-dependent evolutionary laws. The effects of corro-sion on RC piers are incorporated through accurate finite element fibre models. Emphasis is placed on the effects of corrosion on strength and ductility capacity of RC piers, and on the influence of extent and localisation of corrosion degradation along the pier’s height. The problem is also examined from a practice-oriented perspective, evaluating the reduction in seismic safety of the structure during its life cycle for a given site characterised by medium-high seismic hazard and a moderately aggressive environment.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
