ADVANCES IN DESIGN AND RESIDUAL LIFE CALCULATION WITH REGARD TO REBAR CORROSION OF REINFORCED CONCRETE

The increasing amount of structures presenting distress due to reinforcement corrosion is urging the establishment of more accurate calculation methods for the service life of concrete structures. In the present paper, a summary of the different approaches is presented that are able to calculate the expected life of new structures, in certain aggressive environments or the residual life of already corroding structures. The methods for the initiation period are based on the proper calculation of the carbonation front or chloride penetration and on the steel corrosion rate. The methods for the residual load-bearing capacity calculations are based in the use of ' indicators ' or in the evaluation of the reduced section and a structural recalculation.