Considering uncertainty in corrosion process to estimate life-cycle seismic vulnerability and risk of aging bridge piers

B Sharanbaswa Vishwanath and Swagata Banerjee

Reliability Engineering and System Safety, 2023, vol. 232, issue C

Abstract: Gradual deterioration of RC bridges due to chloride-induced corrosion is of concern for bridge durability and life-cycle performance assessment under earthquakes. Uncertainties arising from the corrosion process hinder the reliable prediction of seismic vulnerability and risk of aging bridges at any point over their lifespans. In this context, the paper here presents a probabilistic framework that comprehensively accounts for the complex interaction between chemical and physical processes of corrosion, random natures of chloride diffusion parameters and material properties, temporal variations of atmospheric variables, and random patterns of early-age cracks on concrete surface. Variations in time-to-initiate corrosion and time-dependent three-dimensional growth of corrosion pit are calculated for a RC bridge pier. Obtained results are deployed in estimating time-dependent seismic vulnerability and risk of the pier, which exhibit continuous degradation of seismic performance of the pier over its lifespan. Moreover, the negative consequence of surface cracks on overall seismic performance of the pier is observed to increase with increasing crack density. Variability in pier performance at different time instances is measured through 90% confidence intervals of fragility and risk curves. Research outcome portrays higher variability in seismic fragility and risk curves, respectively, at higher damage states and age of the pier.

Keywords: RC pier; Chloride-induced corrosion; Early-age cracks; Poisson point process; Seismic risk (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:reensy:v:232:y:2023:i:c:s0951832022006652

DOI: 10.1016/j.ress.2022.109050

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