Corrosion-Fatigue Life Prediction Modeling for RC Structures under Coupled Carbonation and Repeated Loading

Abstract

The coupled action of concrete carbonation and repeated loading strongly influences the safety of reinforced concrete (RC) structures and substantially reduces service life. A novel corrosion-fatigue life prediction model for RC structures under coupled carbonation and repeated loading was developed. The effect of fatigue damage on concrete carbonation and carbonation-induced corrosion rate was considered, and the acceleration of fatigue damage accumulation due to reinforcement corrosion was considered in this approach. The proposed corrosion-fatigue life prediction model was illustrated by a 6 m-span RC slab in a simply supported slab bridge for the highway, and the effects of traffic frequency, overloading, carbonation environment grade, and environmental temperature and relative humidity on corrosion-fatigue life were discussed. The results indicate that the proposed model can predict the corrosion-fatigue life of RC structures simply and conveniently. Traffic frequency, overloading, carbonation environment grade, and environmental temperature and relative humidity can decrease the corrosion-fatigue life of the RC slab by up to 66.86%, 58.90%, 77.45%, and 44.95%, respectively. The research is expected to provide a framework for the corrosion-fatigue life prediction of RC structures under coupled carbonation and repeated loading.

Keywords

• reinforced concrete structures
• corrosion-fatigue life
• coupled action
• fatigue damage
• carbonation-induced corrosion
• simply supported slab bridge