Sponsor: United States National Science Foundation
This project investigated the combined effects of environmental aging and earthquakes on concrete bridges. The main cause of aging-induced deterioration in concrete bridges is corrosion of reinforcing bars, which may result in a significant reduction in load capacity and endanger the safety of the structure. An in-depth computational-experimental research program was conducted to understand the main corrosion-related degradation mechanisms in reinforced concrete and potential impacts of earthquakes on the deteriorated bridge structure. Novel engineering materials, specifically, high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete and superelastic alloys were employed to increase resiliency of the bridge columns.