Experimental Investigation and Computational Modelling of Corrosion Induced Mechanical-Geometrical Degradation of Reinforcing Bars

This paper reports results from experimental investigations on the behaviour of corroded rein-forcing bars in tension, compression and under cyclic loading (including inelastic buckling). The test results show that corrosion affects the response of reinforcing steel in tension. Pitting corrosion also affects the buck-ling load of reinforcing bars under monotonic compression loading and changes the behaviour of corroded bars under cyclic loading. Furthermore, an advanced 3D optical measurement technique has been employed to measure the non-uniform pitting corrosion along the length of corroded bars. Using the data from optical measurement, a simple methodology has been developed for calculation of the residual diameter of corroded bars. This approach provides a more realistic estimate of residual diameter of corroded bars compare to the earlier models based on uniform mass loss. It is also possible to employ this method to calculate the load ec-centricity in the bar due to non-uniform corrosion.