Reliability-based condition assessment of deteriorating concrete bridges considering load redistribution

A wide variety of models have been proposed for estimating the reliability of highway bridges. For reinforced concrete bridges subjected to environmental attack, time-variant reliability methods have to be used. In this study, the condition of reinforced concrete girder bridges is assessed using a t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Structural safety 1999-01, Vol.21 (2), p.159-195
Main Authors: Enright, Michael P., Frangopol, Dan M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Assessment
Bridges
Buildings. Public works
Computation methods. Tables. Charts
Concrete bridges
Concrete structures
Corrosion
Damage
Deterioration
Exact sciences and technology
Girders
Monte Carlo simulation
Reliability analysis
Safety
Service-life
Strength
Structural analysis. Stresses
Structural reliability
System reliability
Time-variant reliability
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Summary:A wide variety of models have been proposed for estimating the reliability of highway bridges. For reinforced concrete bridges subjected to environmental attack, time-variant reliability methods have to be used. In this study, the condition of reinforced concrete girder bridges is assessed using a time-variant system reliability approach in which both load and resistance are time-variant quantities. Several system models are considered, including failure of any girder (series system) and failure of a specified number of adjacent girders (series-parallel system). Adaptive importance sampling is used to determine the cumulative-time system failure probability. An existing reinforced concrete T-beam bridge located near Pueblo, Colorado, is investigated. The influence of resistance degradation and post-failure load redistribution is included. A comparison of reliability estimates for several system models is given, including the influence of correlation among initial girder strengths. The results can be used as a guide for the selection of system models for bridge reliability analysis, identification of critical girders in a bridge system, and for the development of optimal reliability-based maintenance strategies for reinforced concrete highway bridges.
ISSN:0167-4730
1879-3355
DOI:10.1016/S0167-4730(99)00015-6