Life cycle structural performances of RC structures for different Corrosion Risk Scenarios

A reliable assessment of structural performances of existing RC structures should necessarily account for their actual level of deterioration, mostly related to corrosion effects. In this perspective, the DEMSA assessment protocol was recently proposed, enabling the definition of a possible Corrosion Risk Scenario as an output of a guided on-site diagnostic campaign, and the calibration of equivalent corrosion damage parameters to be included in the structural models. In this paper, the protocol is applied to a reference 2D RC frame considering different aggressiveness conditions. The influence of the damage on the seismic vulnerability of the structures is evaluated through pushover analyses. Following the same approach, a Life Cycle Structural Performance curve of the structural behaviour over time can be defined, allowing for the estimation of the frame residual life, and providing major indications for the selection of the renovation strategy.