A reliability-based service-life design approach for segmental concrete bridges subject to corrosive conditions

Radhakrishna G. Pillai, David Trejo, Paolo Gardoni, Kenneth F. Reinschmidt, Mary Beth D Hueste

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Corrosion and failure of steel strands have been observed in post-tensioned (PT), segmental concrete bridges (PT bridges, herein) in Florida and Virginia. In general, existing inspection and maintenance practices cannot detect, in a timely manner, the corrosion of strands in these types of bridges. New technologies have been developed to improve grouting procedures and corrosion protection of strands in PT bridges. However, their efficiency in protecting the strands from long-term corrosion is yet to be proven. Therefore, ensuring long-term safety/reliability of PT bridges is of significant concern and a better design approach to ensure long-term reliability could be beneficial, both from economic and safety perspectives. The AASHTO LRFD Specifications present reliability-based design procedures, which ensure high reliability for new PT bridges. However, these design procedures do not consider long-term losses in reliability due to the potential corrosion of strands and, therefore, may not guarantee sufficient reliability during the desired life of bridges. Based on the results of an extensive experimental program that tested 536 strand specimens and provided substantial data on the time-variant corrosion of strands under various environmental conditions, this paper summarizes some of the conclusions from the experiments and proposes a reliability-based design approach to ensure long-term reliability of PT bridges. This design approach is defined based on the reserve-reliability factor, Fβ-reserve. The term Fβ-reserve is defined as the ratio of the actual reliability index, β, at time t to the target reliability index, βtarget. Probabilistic strand capacity models reported in the recent literature, flexural demand and capacity formulations in the AASHTO LRFD Specifications, and structural reliability methods are used in the proposed design approach. This approach involves the assessment of long-term structural reliability during the preliminary design phases of PT bridges.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 3rd International Conference on the Durability of Concrete Structures, ICDCS 2012
PublisherHokkaido University Press
ISBN (Print)9781909131040
StatePublished - 2012
Event3rd International Conference on the Durability of Concrete Structures, ICDCS 2012 - Belfast, United Kingdom
Duration: Sep 17 2012Sep 19 2012

Publication series

NameProceedings of the 3rd International Conference on the Durability of Concrete Structures, ICDCS 2012

Other

Other3rd International Conference on the Durability of Concrete Structures, ICDCS 2012
Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
CityBelfast
Period9/17/129/19/12

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Civil and Structural Engineering
  • Ocean Engineering
  • Building and Construction

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