Title:
Multiphysics Simulation of Chloride-Induced Corrosion Damage in Concrete Bridges
Author(s):
Aliasghar-Mamaghani
Publication:
Web Session
Volume:
ws_S24_Mamaghani.pdf
Issue:
Appears on pages(s):
Keywords:
DOI:
Date:
3/23/2024
Abstract:
Chloride-induced corrosion is one of the predominant reasons for the long-term deterioration of prestressed concrete bridges. The availability of simulation tools predicting the evolution of chloride-induced corrosion damage is crucial for the maintenance and – if necessary - timely intervention to prevent extensive corrosion damage. This presentation introduces a computational scheme to investigate the formation and evolution of chloride-induced corrosion cracks in concrete bridges. The proposed approach accounts for multiple, coupled processes, i.e., heat transfer, moisture transport, and chloride advective and diffusive transport. The corrosion-induced mechanical damage (cracking) is incorporated through a phenomenological description of the electrochemical reaction kinetics, generation of expansive corrosion products, and subsequent development of tensile stresses and cracking in the surrounding concrete. The impact of cracking on the moisture transport and on the chloride advective and diffusive transport mechanisms is also considered. The modeling scheme is calibrated using data from small-scale experimental tests in the literature. Subsequently, a series of validation analyses was performed on two real-life prestressed concrete bridges in Virginia that exhibited corrosion-induced cracking after 34 and 49 years of service. The boundary conditions are mathematically formulated to account for heat convection, solar radiation, chemical convection, and moisture transfer across the faces of bridge girders, and use values representing the actual climatic data obtained from weather stations in the vicinity of the bridges. The analyses reproduce the actually observed cracking damage in the bridge girders, and allows the evaluation of the validity of simplified models and modelling assumptions commonly adopted in bridge durability studies.