Residual Strengths of Reinforced Concrete Beams With Heavy Deterioration

This study focused on the residual strengths of reinforced concrete beams with heavy deterioration. This work is based on experimental investigation of reinforced concrete beams naturally corroded over 30 years. Visual inspection was firstly conducted and the concrete cracking, spalling of concrete cover, corrosion of rebar were recorded. Material tests on concrete and corroded rebar were also conducted. Loading tests were performed on three corroded beams. The residual bending strengths obtained from the test results were compared with design strengths of uncorroded beam. It is shown that the corroded beams lost most of their strengths. Finite element model was developed to further investigate the behaviour of corroded reinforced concrete beams. The element type and mesh, boundary condition and load application, and material model were considered in the nonlinear finite element model. The effect of concrete cover spalling, rebar corrosion and midspan vertical crack on the residual strength of corroded reinforced concrete beams were analyzed using the developed model.