Efficiency analysis of optimal inspection management for reinforced concrete structures under carbonation-induced corrosion risk

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2019

Authors

Pablo Benítez (Author) Other; Eugénio Rocha (Author) Other; Sudip Talukdar (Author) Other; Humberto Varum (Author) FEUP; Fernanda Rodrigues (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Construction and Building Materials

Vol. 211

Pages: 1000-1012

ISSN: 0950-0618

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 0 Citations

Scopus - 3 Citations

INSPEC

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00Q-J9C

DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2019.03.028

Abstract (EN): Reinforced concrete is one of the most predominant materials used in constructed structures and infrastructures throughout the world. For this reason, the maintenance management of these structures is a frequent subject of study in material science and civil engineering. Thereby, several studies conclude that corrosion of reinforcement in concrete structures may become an expensive degradation mechanism whether a suitable intervention strategy throughout its service life is not applied. In this context, maintenance management is crucial to slow down the degradation process and to extend the lifespan, which can comprise two stages: inspection planning, and an assessment of repair probabilities according to the inspection results. The paper herein presented focuses on a decision-making model for the optimal inspection planning for concrete structures subject to carbonation-induced corrosion. A structured approach to optimise inspection times considering the uncertainty inherent in the corrosion-induced degradation and a trade-off between inspection costs and the structure serviceability is performed. The main objective of this work is to elaborate an efficiency analysis for a set of optimal inspection strategies that is conducted through two approaches: the Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) and the Multi direction Enveloping Analysis (MEA). This analysis provides an appraisal that reduces the number of inspection techniques necessary and the time gap between inspections to provide not only an optimal solution but the most efficient as well. Therefore, the outcome of this paper provides an inspection strategy that establishes the optimal solution for both the inspection times and the most suitable inspection technique to be applied considering the efficiency of the solution.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 13