Overview
The project is focused on the efficient fully probabilistic assessment of concrete structures, mainly bridges, based on a stochastic nonlinear finite element simulation considering spatial variability degradation. Efficient numerical techniques to determine reliability expressed by reliability index and/or failure probability will be developed within the framework of computationally intensive nonlinear analysis. The attention will be paid to response surface methods and small-sample simulations combined with artificial neural networks. The life-cycle assessment requires time-dependent reliability analysis including degradation effects. Advanced models for concrete carbonation, corrosion of reinforcement and chloride ingress will be developed. Deterioration modelling will be extended into 2D space using random fields and cellular automata approach. The fully probabilistic approach will be verified in comparison with present code specifications.