Reliability of reinforced concrete structures under chemical-physical attack

Both concrete deterioration and steel corrosion are major problems affecting an increasing number of reinforced concrete structures. In this paper, a unified approach, based on a coupled damage model is presented which is able to evaluate the strength reduction and the reliability of the structures. The effects of chemical attack on concrete (e.g. expansive sulfate/chloride reaction) are analyzed and considered in the numerical model. Moreover, the deterioration of reinforced concrete structures due to corrosion of steel reinforcement is included in the analysis. The results indicate a sharp reduction in the load-bearing capacity of beams subjected to chemical-physical attack and a progressive loss in the ductility. The possibility of using such an approach for service life prediction is also investigated and some examples are presented.