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Computers and Concrete
  Volume 18, Number 1, July 2016 , pages 69-97
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12989/cac.2016.18.1.069
 


Performance-based remaining life assessment of reinforced concrete bridge girders
M.B. Anoop, K. Balaji Rao and B.K. Raghuprasad

 
Abstract
    Performance-based remaining life assessment of reinforced concrete bridge girders, subject to chloride-induced corrosion of reinforcement, is addressed in this paper. Towards this, a methodology that takes into consideration the human judgmental aspects in expert decision making regarding condition state assessment is proposed. The condition of the bridge girder is specified by the assignment of a condition state from a set of predefined condition states, considering both serviceability- and ultimate- limit states, and, the performance of the bridge girder is described using performability measure. A non-homogeneous Markov chain is used for modelling the stochastic evolution of condition state of the bridge girder with time. The thinking process of the expert in condition state assessment is modelled within a probabilistic framework using Brunswikian theory and probabilistic mental models. The remaining life is determined as the time over which the performance of the girder is above the required performance level. The usefulness of the methodology is illustrated through the remaining life assessment of a reinforced concrete T-beam bridge girder.
 
Key Words
    reinforced concrete; chloride-induced corrosion; remaining life; performability; nonhomogeneous Markov chain; Brunswikian theory
 
Address
M.B. Anoop and K. Balaji Rao: CSIR-Structural engineering research centre, CSIR Campus, Chennai 600113, India
B.K. Raghuprasad: Department of civil engineering, Indian institute of science, Bangalore 560012, India
 

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