Time-Variant Seismic Reliability of Code-Compliant RC Bridges

Bridges are usually exposed to harsh environmental conditions which can trigger deterioration phenomena in the structure. Reinforced concrete (RC) bridges are prone to reinforcement corrosion when subjected to carbonatation or when the surrounding environment is rich in chlorides due to its proximity to the coastal areas or due to the use of de-icing salts in cold regions. Apart from the traffic load, bridges are often found in highly seismic areas and high deterioration phenomena can increase their seismic vulnerability even more. The present study investigates the seismic performance of code-conforming RC bridges subjected to corrosion through nonlinear time-history (NLTH) analysis. Results show that the probability of failure significantly increases in time in medium to high seismicity areas while it is little affected in sites with low seismic hazard.