Durability Considerations in Performance-Based Seismic Assessment of Deteriorated RC Bridges

For sustainable development of the urban environment where people and nature reside together, infrastructures are required to retain their performance over the long-term. In order to provide a durable and reliable solution, functionality, safety and the service life of infrastructures must be estimated based on scientific and engineering knowledge. Corrosion of reinforcing steel is one of the primary sources of durability problems in Reinforced Concrete (RC) Bridges. This leads to reduction in the steel cross section and weakening of the bond and anchorage between the concrete and reinforcement, which directly affects the serviceability and ultimate strength of concrete elements within a structure. Currently there is a gap in our knowledge about how this long-term material deterioration over the life span of structure affects the non-linear behaviour of RC bridges subject to seismic loading. This paper outlines some of the recent developments toward this goal.