Modified reliability assessment of locally corroded RC beams

Journal article, 2026

This study developed an improved reliability assessment method for reinforced concrete beams, with consideration for the effects of (i) pitting corrosion location, done by means of a one-dimensional signal processing tool called a wavelet transform (WT), (ii) the adverse impacts of the compressive deterioration of concrete cover and (iii) smooth transition from ductile to brittle behavior of steel rebars due to pitting corrosion. In the first stage of the proposed approach, the precise location of corrosion is identified by applying the WT to the structure's static deflection. Subsequently, the modified reliability process, employing Monte Carlo simulation, is used to ascertain the probability of failure. For this purpose, a reinforced concrete beam is modeled with different concrete covers and corrosion scenarios. Compared with the improved reliability method, the conventional approach may be non-conservative for failure probability under specific circumstances. For example, in a reinforced concrete beam subjected to low gravity loads and severe corrosion, the disparity may reach 35%.