Evaluation of service life design models on concrete structures exposed to marine environment

Durability of reinforced concrete is primarily influenced by the penetration of aggressive substances into concrete, which are degrading concrete and reinforcement. For structures in marine environment chlorides are the most critical environmental load, which are causing serious corrosion damages. Data collected during the survey of the Krk Bridge, a large reinforced concrete arch bridge structure located on the Adriatic coast, is used as documented reference in this research. The structure has been exposed to the marine environment for over 25 years. Based on collected materials data and the exposure conditions, the service life of this structure is estimated using three currently available prediction models, two deterministic models, the North American Life-365 model and the Croatian CHLODIF model, and the DuraCrete probabilistic method. All these models are based on the chloride diffusion process, but with different detailing of the model parameters. The conclusion is an evaluation of the service life predictive ability of each of these three service life models.     

Numerical modeling for predicting service life of reinforced concrete structures exposed to chloride environments

Degradation of reinforced concrete (RC) structures due to chloride penetration followed by reinforcement corrosion has been a serious problem in civil engineering for many years. In the present paper, a systematic and robust model for predicting service life of RC structures is developed which takes environmental humidity and temperature fluctuations, chloride binding, diffusion and convection, as well as the decay of structural performance into account. The interactions between the decay of structural performance, heat and moisture transfer are considered in a coupled thermal-hygro-mechanical model. The governing equations of heat, moisture and chloride transport into nonsaturated concrete are described particularly and solved numerically by finite element analysis in space and time domains. Comparisons of numerical results with analytical solutions and experimental observations are conducted to establish the validity of the proposed numerical model. Applications of the numerical model are demonstrated by predicting service life of a RC slab exposed to a chloride environment.     

General model for constitutive relationships of concrete and its composite structures

This paper presents a unified mathematical model that can be used to construct various constitutive relationships for concrete materials and its composite interfaces. The unified model has a single expression and a maximum of six variables/parameters, whereas in most cases, three to four parameters are sufficient. The model is simple, continuous, and easy to be integrated and differentiated. Its parameters can be assigned clear physical meanings, and used to control variations of different parts of the curve separately. Its greater versatility and flexibility enables possible applications in almost all kinds of constitutive relationships for concrete and its composite structures. For example, it is demonstrated to be suitable for stress-strain relationships of plain and confined concrete, bond-slip relationships of steel bar-to-concrete interfaces, externally-bonded fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) interfaces, near surface mounted FRP interfaces, etc. Furthermore, a simple equation for the bond-slip relationship of steel reinforcement-to-concrete interface is derived using the unified model to replace the four-segment CEB-FIP code model.     

The possibility of evolving a theory for predicting the service life of reinforced concrete structures

The development in recent years with increasing air pollution, increasing need of energy saving and last not least the growing number of damage in old structures leads to a raising demand to calculate the durability of structures, too. The paper has been prepared by request of the RILEM Technical Committee 45-LTO to show that, in principle, it is possible to evolve a theory for predicting the service life of r.c. structures and to sketch a way how that could be achieved. A lot of necessary basic data can be found scattered in the literature. To collect these data will be the first step to take.     

Influence of chloride threshold value in service life prediction of reinforced concrete structures

Extensive studies have been reported on the development of service-life prediction of reinforced concrete structures in the last two decades. Service life of a reinforced concrete structure is dependent on the corrosion process, specifically chloride threshold value. Chloride threshold value is a distinctive property and is dependent on several factors such as the supplementary cementitious material used, presence of surface cracks, water to binder ratio, type of steel reinforcement, exposure conditions, measurement methods, etc. Although chloride threshold value is an influential parameter in service-life prediction, a definitive chloride threshold value considering these factors is not reported in the existing literature and standards. Moreover, values adopted in many analytical tools for service life predictions based on the type of steel reinforcement alone are not appropriate and leads to inaccurate calculations. There is a gap in the available literature in understanding the selection of suitable chloride threshold values to be adopted for a specific system. Therefore, it is imperative to study the variation of chloride threshold value with exposure conditions as well as other influencing parameters, to achieve proper service life prediction. In the paper, several influencing parameters on chloride threshold value and its significance on prediction method are comprehensively reviewed. Moreover, suitable recommendations are highlighted for Indian and international standards at the later part of the study.     

Continual model of propagation of corrosion cracks for the evaluation of the service life of structures

On the basis of the mechanics of dispersed fracture, we develop a continual model of propagation of corrosion cracks for the evaluation of the service life of structural elements. The results of numerical simulation of the process of crack growth in specimens made of austenitic stainless steel of the 18-8 type performed on the basis of the experimental data available from the literature demonstrate the reliability of the proposed model. We obtain the solutions of the problem of service life of the rectilinear segments of heat-exchange pipes of steam generators of nuclear power plants and apply these solutions to establish a noticeable dependence of the service life on the size of the pipes, pressure in the primary coolant circuit, and chemical compositions of corrosive media.     

Doubling the service life of concrete structures. II: Performance of nanoscale viscosity modifiers in mortars

A new approach for increasing the service life of concrete structures is evaluated in a series of mortar specimens. The new approach consists of employing nanoscale viscosity modifiers to increase the viscosity of the concrete pore solution and concurrently and proportionally decrease the diffusion rates of deleterious ions such as chlorides and sulfates. In part I of this series, viscosities of bulk solutions of the admixtures in water and electrical conductivities of admixture solutions also containing potassium chloride were examined to verify the viability of this new technology. In the current paper, these studies are extended to quantifying the performance of one of these admixtures in mortars by measuring the penetration depth of chloride ions in cylindrical specimens exposed to a 1 mol/L chloride ion solution for up to 1 year. While significant reductions in the 1 year penetration depth are produced when the viscosity modifier is utilized via conventional addition to the mixing water, the best performance is achieved when a solution of the viscosity modifier is utilized to pre-wet fine lightweight aggregates that are then added to the mortar mixture. A scaling function appropriate for radial diffusion was used to estimate the relative effective diffusion coefficients. Compared to a reference mortar, the best mixture reduced the effective diffusion coefficient by a factor of 2.7, consistent with the overall objective of doubling concrete service life.     

Water repellent surface impregnation for extension of service life of reinforced concrete structures in marine environments: The role of cracks

The enhancement of long-term durability of marine structures is a matter of interest to many researchers. The study presented in this paper examines the effectiveness of a water reducer and chloride barrier surface impregnation of the concrete cover of reinforced concrete (RC) structures, exposed to a marine environment. Specific focuses is on how surface cracks created (1) before impregnation and (2) after impregnation, affect the effectiveness of the surface treatment. The experiments are conducted in an environment which is as close as possible to the real humid subtropical marine environment.A series of reinforced concrete (RC) prisms and concrete cylinders, each treated with various commercial surface impregnation agents, were exposed to cyclic sea water shower under an outdoor environment to accelerate the dry/wet cycles for 1 year. Six types of surface impregnation agents, including four types of silane-based water repellent agents and two types of sodium silicate-based pore blockers (water–glass) were applied. Three types of RC prisms were prepared to simulate the different cracking possibilities, which may occur in surface impregnated concrete structures, during their service life. No cracks were introduced in the first prism group, while cracks were introduced before and after surface impregnation, in the second and third groups, respectively. The time-dependent water absorption of all specimens was monitored during exposure to the dry/wet cycles. Finally the specimens were split open to measure the penetration depths of the surface impregnation agents and the chloride penetration profiles. The areas with corrosion evident in the steel reinforcement in the RC prisms were also measured.Sodium silicate-based pore blockers were found to be inefficient in preventing chloride penetration of concrete under simulated marine exposures. The long-term efficiency of water repellent agents used for surface impregnation was found to be highly dependent on the type of agent and whether impregnation was carried out before or after crack formation.     

Predicting the performance of concrete structures exposed to chemically aggressive environment—Field validation

The behavior of two series of concrete slabs exposed to sulfate-bearing soils was investigated by a numerical model called STADIUM. In addition to the diffusion of ions and moisture, the model also accounts for the effects of dissolution/precipitation reactions on the transport mechanisms. The simulations yielded by the model were compared to the actual degradation of the slabs after 8 years of exposure. The microstructural alterations of concrete resulting from the penetration of magnesium, chloride and sulfate ions were studied by backscatter mode scanning electron microscope observations and energy-dispersive X-ray analyses. The comparison of both series of data indicates that the model can reliably predict the various features of the microstructural alterations of concrete.

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Résumé Le comportement de deux séries de dalles sur sol en béton exposées à des sols chimiquement agressifs a été étudié à l'aide d'un code de calcul numérique appelé STADIUM. Ce modèle permet de décrire le transport couplé de l'eau et des ions dans des matériaux poreux non-saturés en prenant en considération l'influence des réactions chimiques. Les résultats des simultations de la dégradation du béton après huit ans d'exposition à des ions chlore, sulfate et magnésium. Les observations ont été réalisées par microscopie électronique à balayage. Des analyses par dispersion des rayons X ont également été effectuées. Les données démontrent clairement que le modèle perment de prédire avec précision le comportement du béton soumis à différents types d'agression chimique.

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Editorial Note Laval University (Canada) is a RILEM Titular Member. Prof. J. Marchand was awarded the 2000 Robert L'Hermite Medal. He is Editor in Chief for Concrete Science and Engineering and Associate Editor for Materials and Structures. He participates in RILEM TC 186-ISA ‘Internal Sulfate attack’.     

Material model for the analysis of reinforced concrete surface structures

A material model for the analysis of reinforced concrete surface structures is developed. The constitutive model employs the smeared crack concept, i.e. only average stresses are considered at an integration point. While uncracked concrete is modelled with a plasticity approach, the paper focuses on the numerical treatment of cracked reinforced concrete in a state of plane stress. Special attention is given to the modelling of the tension stiffening effect, the re-orientation of the principal tensile strain direction and the compressive strength of cracked concrete. The material model has been implemented in the finite element program SEGNID and tested extensively. Here the comparisons of calculated and experimentally measured results on reinforced concrete surface structures-several panels, a plate subjected to torsion and a free-formed shell-are presented.List of symbols d bar diameter - D stiffness matrix - D _c stiffness matrix of concrete - D _s stiffness matrix of reinforcement - D rotational stiffness matrix - f stress - f _c stresses in concrete - f _c1 tensile stress in concrete - f _c2 compressive stress in concrete - f _c2,min concrete compressive strength - f _c cylinder crushing strength - f _s stresses in reinforcement - f _t concrete tensile strength - f _y yield strength of reinforcement - f ₁ applied principal tensile stress - f ₂ applied principal compressive stress - F tension force - F _y yield force - l length - M moment - Q dowel resistance - r _xy vector of unbalanced stresses - s applied load - s applied stress vector - T ₁, T ₂ transformation matrices - w crack width - x, y reference coordinate system - 1, 2 crack oriented coordinate system - curvature - _xy incremental strain in the reference coordinate system Extended version of the contribution Two-dimensional FE-analysis of reinforced concrete membrane elements to the International Conference on Computational Engineering Science, Atlanta, April 10–14, 1988, presented by the second named author     

Model for an engineering approach to the design of concrete structures in chemically aggressive environments

The paper presents a draft proposal for a procedure for designing concrete structures in chemically aggressive environments. Instead of empirical rules which are applied to produce durable concrete, a procedure has been proposed to analytically define the degree of environment agression. On the other hand, definitions have been given for concrete characteristics relevant for a durable concrete structure, as can be numerically set and checked during the construction and after the completion.     

Cracking of concrete structures due to imposed strains with regard to design of reinforcement

The principles for control of cracking in concrete structures due to imposed strain are investigated in this paper. The effects of uniform and non-uniform cooling and shrinkage are studied in medium-thick walls with regard to the amount of reinforcement necessary to distribute cracks. The influence of reinforcement on the behavior after the first crack is investigated, in particular its ability to reduce crack widths. The restraint force is significantly reduced for non-uniformly distributed imposed strain due to softening and cracking in the concrete. The amount of minimum reinforcement needed to distribute cracks is therefore significantly smaller for imposed strain in the form of drying shrinkage than for thermal imposed strain. Crack reinforcement is most effective for structures with large dimensions in the direction of external restraint.     

Automated design of a linear generator for wave energy Converters-a simplified model

An encouraging way to convert ocean wave energy into electricity through direct drive is by using a linear, synchronous, longitudinal-flux permanent-magnet machine (LFM), where the piston is driven by a buoy. In this paper, the speed of the piston is assumed to be constant or sinusoidal. The paper presents an automated method for optimizing the design variables of an LFM with a rectifier, using time-stepping finite-element analysis. The method yields feasible LFM designs tailored to a given ocean wave climate, assuming constant or sinusoidal piston speed. The method will help to avoid a large amount of field calculations to obtain an optimal LFM driven by a buoy. The systematic approach results in a transparent investigation, giving the engineer an easy way to determine the best design. The paper presents LFM designs for a calm site in the Baltic Sea as examples.     

Ageing management of safety-related concrete structures to provide improved bases for continuing the service of nuclear power plants

Resume On décrit les structures en béton se rapportant à la sécurité des installations nucléaires, et on détermine les facteurs de dégradation susceptibles de compromettre la conformité de ces structures aux critères de fonctionnement et de performance qui leur sont assignés. On donne ici, de fa?on résumée, les exigences d’inspection en service. On examine l’évaluation des performances des éléments en béton dans les installations nucléaires. Enfin, on trace les grandes lignes d’un programme pour gérer le vieillissement des structures en béton en rapport avec la sécurité des installations nucléaires, et améliorer leur capacité de service. On résume également les différents aspects du programme.      

A method for measuring the parameters of relationships between physical variables

Translated from Izmeritel'naya Tekhnika, No. 1, pp. 5–6, January, 1991.     

Sampling analysis of concrete structures for creep and shrinkage with correlated random material parameters

The latin hypercube sampling method, which represents the most efficient way to determine the statistics of the creep and shrinkage response of structures, has previously been developed and used under the assumption that the random parameters of the creep and shrinkage prediction model are mutually independent. In reality they are correlated. On the basis of existing data, this paper establishes, by means of the method of maximum likelihood, the joint multivariate probability distribution of the random parameters involved, tests the hypothesis of mutual dependence of parameters on the basis of the χ²-distribution, and generalizes the latin hypercube sampling method to the case of correlated multinormal random parameters. The generalization is accomplished by an orthogonal matrix transformation of the random parameters based on the eigenvectors of the inverse of the covariance matrix. This yields a set of new random parameters which are uncorrelated (independent) and can be subjected to the ordinary latin hypercube sampling, with samples of equal probabilities. Numerical examples of statistical prediction of creep and shrinkage effects in structures confirm the practical feasibility of the method and reveal a good agreement with the scatter observed in some previous experiments.     

Simple lattice model for numerical simulation of fracture of concrete materials and structures

In this paper a numerical model is presented for simulating fracture in heterogeneous materials such as concrete and rock. The typical failure mechanism, crack face bridging, found in concrete and other materials is simulated by use of a lattice model. The model can be used at a small scale, where the particles in the grain structure are generated and aggregate, matrix and bond properties are assigned to the lattice elements. Simulations at this scale are useful for studying the influence of material composition. In addition the model seems a promising tool for simulating fracture in structures. In this case the microstructure of the material is not mimicked in detail but rather the lattice elements are given tensile strengths which are randomly chosen out of a certain distribution. Realistic crack patterns are found compared with experiments on laboratory-scale specimens. The present results indicate that fracture mechanisms are simulated realistically. This is very important because it simplifies the tuning of the model.     

Utilization of fly ash concrete in marine environment for long term design life analysis

This paper presents the performance of 7-year fly ash concrete exposed to hot and high humidity climate in marine conditions. Control concrete and fly-ash concrete cube specimens of 200 mm were cast and steel bars of 12 mm in diameter and 50 mm in length were embedded at various cover depths. The concrete specimens were exposed to tidal zone of marine environment in the Gulf of Thailand. The concrete specimens were tested for chloride penetration profile, chloride content at the position of embedded steel bar, and corrosion of embedded steel bar after being exposed to tidal zone of sea water up to 7 years. Consequently, these experimental data were used to generate the empirical equation for predicting long term required cover depth of cement and fly ash concretes to protect against the initial corrosion of reinforcing steel in a marine environment.     

Design of concrete structures for durability and strength to Eurocode 2

The Structural Eurocodes of the European Communities establish requirements for building and civil engineering works in terms of reliability, adequate performance in service conditions and durability. For the achievement of durability, several steps are necessary in the sesign process. They are the subject of Eurocode 2 and the European Standard EN 206 for concrete technology. The basic elements of the design concept are described in the present paper.

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Résumé Les Eurocodes sur les structures de la Communauté Européenne définissent des exigences pour les batiments et les ouvrages de génie civil en terme de fiabilité, de performance dans les conditions de service et de durabilité. Afin de remplir l'exigence de durabilité, plusieurs étapes sont nécessaires dans le processus de conception. Elles sont l'objet de l'Eurocode 2 et de la norme européenne Béton EN206. Les éléments de base de la conception de plan sont décrits dans cet article.