Real-World Considerations for Predicting Service Life of Steel-Reinforced Concrete Exposed to Chlorides

Published

September 1, 2014

Author(s)

Dale P. Bentz, W. S. Guthrie, Scott Z. Jones, Nicos Martys

Abstract

The prediction of concrete service life is of paramount importance for upgrading our nation’s built infrastructure. Although computer models for predicting the service life of reinforced concrete exposed to chlorides (e.g., road salts) have been developed and upgraded during the past 15 years, there are many real-world considerations that complicate accurate and representative modeling of field structures. However, recent advances in both concrete-specific models and general-purpose modeling platforms are permitting detailed investigations of the influences of many of these real-world parameters of interest. This paper reviews these real- world considerations and provides some examples of how they are being addressed via advanced modeling capabilities.

Citation

Concrete International

Volume

36

Issue

9

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

Local Download

Keywords

Bridge deck, corrosion, cracking, diffusion, exposure environment, modeling, reinforced concrete, reinforcing steel, service life, transport.

Citation

Bentz, D. , Guthrie, W. , Jones, S. and Martys, N. (2014), Real-World Considerations for Predicting Service Life of Steel-Reinforced Concrete Exposed to Chlorides, Concrete International, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=915806 (Accessed October 10, 2025)