Critical analysis of the models for the residual life evaluation of existing RC buildings.

Pitting phenomena due to either the presence or entrance of chloride ions in the concrete matrix have been identified as the main responsible for the mechanical deterioration of RC structural elements. In this paper, the weaknesses of empirical models for the evaluation of the residual strength of beams and the effectiveness of the analytical ones are emphasised through the critical and comparative analysis of several models among those proposed in the literature. In order to shift from the evaluation of the single element to the global structural level, a new approach is also proposed, which is based on the formulation of some equivalent para-meters, describing the behaviour of corroded elements and the effect of such decay on the rest of the structure over time.