Life-cycle structural reliability of RC bridge piers under corrosion in a changing climate

Aging and deterioration processes of structures and infrastructure systems can be severely affected by the long-term evolution of environmental conditions expected in a changing climate. This paper aims at investigating the interaction between climate change and environmental aggressiveness on the probabilistic life-cycle performance of concrete structures under corrosion. A simulation-based framework is proposed for life-cycle structural reliability analysis under climate change scenarios. The framework is applied to a bridge pier with hollow core cross-section exposed to chloride-induced corrosion. The results allow to quantify the impact of climate change on long-term probabilistic structural response and highlight the need for proper modeling of the environmental parameters and climate evolution over the entire lifespan of aging structures for optimal life-cycle maintenance and management of structural and infrastructural facilities.