Influence of the exposure scenario and spatial correlation on the probabilistic life-cycle seismic performance of deteriorating RC frames

The probabilistic life-cycle seismic performance of reinforced concrete (RC) frames under chloride-induced corrosion is investigated considering the influence of the environmental aggressiveness and exposure scenario and the role of spatial correlation of the random variables. Chloride ingress and corrosion damage are described at cross-sectional level by two-dimensional concentration maps and damage indices. At the structural level, the seismic performance is evaluated in terms of lateral load response of the deteriorating structural system by means of time-variant non-linear analysis over the structural lifetime. The uncertainties involved in the problem are taken into account in probabilistic terms by Monte Carlo simulation. The procedure is applied to life-cycle assessment of a three-storey RC frame under different exposure scenarios, defined by varying both the concentration level and the spatial distribution of chlorides on the external surface of the columns, as well as different correlation levels of the random variables involved in the probabilistic analysis.