Condition Evolution in Bridge Management Systems and Corrosion-Induced Deterioration
Publication: Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 9, Issue 3
Abstract
Condition assessment in the Swiss bridge management system (KUBA-MS) is performed on the element level. Five condition states are defined based on visual appearance. In order to forecast the condition states of any given element at any given time a relationship must be established between the element age and its condition state. This relationship, which describes the condition evolution, can be obtained empirically from statistical analysis of pairs of consecutive condition assessments (inspections). Markov chains are used in KUBA-MS to represent condition evolution and the transition probabilities are determined using regression analysis of pairs of inspections. Unfortunately there are almost no inspection data for the worst and second worst condition states. The forecasts made using Markov chains are therefore not always reliable. In this paper an alternative approach is suggested, which takes into consideration the physical phenomena underlying element deterioration. This alternative approach is applied to chloride-induced corrosion of steel reinforcement, by far the most common deterioration mechanism in Switzerland. The chloride-induced corrosion is modeled mathematically and numerical simulations of the condition evolution for different values of model parameters are performed. The simulation results have been mapped to condition states as defined in KUBA-MS and Markov transition matrices have been calibrated to fit simulation results.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Adey, B., Roelfstra, G., Hajdin, R., and Brühwiler, E. (1998). “Permeability of existing concrete bridges.” Proc., 2nd Int. PhD Symp. in Civil Engineering, Budapest, Hungary, 110–117.
Bazant, Z. P. (1986). “Creep and shrinkage of concrete: mathematical modelling.” Proc., 4th RILEM Int. Symp., Ill.
Breit, W. (1998). “Critical corrosion inducing chloride content—State of the art (Part I).” Betontechnische Berichte, 442–449.
Delagrave, A., Marchand, J., and Samson, E.(1996). “Prediction of diffusion coefficients in cement-based materials on the basis of migration experiments.” Cem. Concr. Res., 26(12), 1831–1842.
Dhir, R. K., and Byars, E. A.(1993). “PFA concrete: Chloride diffusion rates.” Mag. Concrete Res., 45(162), 1–9.
Flückiger, D., Elsener, B., and Böhni, H. (1996). “Chloride in concrete—transport and assessment, chloride im Beton: Transport und Erfassung.” Rep. No. 520, Union des Professionnels Suisses de la Route (VSS), Zürich, Switzerland.
Gonzalez, J. A., Andrade, C., Alonso, C., and Feliu, S.(1995). “Comparison of rates of general corrosion and maximum pitting penetration on concrete embedded steel reinforcement.” Chem. Concr. Res., 25(2), 257–264.
Halamickova, P., Detwiler, R. J., Bentz, D. P., and Garboczi, E. J.(1995). “Water permeability and chloride ion diffusion in portland cement mortars: Relationship to sand content and critical pore diameter.” Chem. Concr. Res., 25(4), 790–802.
Hansen, E., and Saouma, V. E.(1999). “Numerical simulation of reincorced concrete deterioration—Part II: Steel and concrete cracking.” ACI Mater. J., 96(3), 331–338.
Janz, M. (1997). “Methods of measuring the moisture diffusivity at high moisture levels.” Rep. No. TVBM-3076, Univ. of Lund, Lund, Sweden.
Johannesson, B. (1998). “Modeling of transport processes involved in service life prediction of concrete—Important principles.” Rep. No. TVBM-3083, Univ. of Lund, Lund, Sweden.
KUBA-MS-Ticino—User’s manual, Release 1.0. (1998). Federal Department of Highways, Bern, Switzerland.
Lunk, P., Mayer, G., and Wittmann, F. H. (1998). “Influence of the chloride ingress on the service life of reinforced concrete structures.” Rep. No. 536, Union des Professionnels Suisses de la Route (VSS), Zürich, Switzerland.
Oberbeck, N. (1995). “Non-stationary heat-humidity- in concrete—Theory and calculations.” Rep. No. 95-79, TU Braunschweig, Germany (in German).
Saetta, A. V., Scotta, R. V., and Vitaliani, R. V.(1993). “Analysis of chloride diffusion into partially saturated concrete.” ACI Mater. J., 90(5), 441–451.
Tang, L. (1996). “Concrete transport in concrete—measurement and prediction.” P-96:6 Abstract No. 546, Chalmers Univ., Chalmers, Sweden.
Torrent, R., and Frenzer, G. (1995). “Measurement methods and assessment of in situ the concrete cover properties.” Rep. No. 516, Union des Professionnels Suisses de la Route (VSS), Zürich, Switzerland (in German).
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 9 • Issue 3 • May 2004
Pages: 268 - 277
Copyright
Copyright © 2004 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 13, 2001
Accepted: Nov 10, 2003
Published online: Apr 15, 2004
Published in print: May 2004
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.