Title: Condition assessment of structures: some issues related to handling uncertainties

Authors: K. Balaji Rao; M.B. Anoop

Addresses: CSIR-Structural Engineering Research Centre, CSIR Campus, Taramani, Chennai 600113, Tamil Nadu, India ' CSIR-Structural Engineering Research Centre, CSIR Campus, Taramani, Chennai 600113, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract: It is known that the condition assessment of reinforced concrete structures subject to corrosion of reinforcement involves handling information coming from different sources beset with different types of uncertainties. This paper summarises some of the R&D investigations carried out at CSIR-SERC in developing the methodologies for condition assessment of reinforced concrete structures subject to chloride-induced corrosion of reinforcement. Two types of uncertainties namely, probabilistic and fuzzy are considered. The paper draws upon the results of already published technical material. Also included are some of the unpublished investigations related to the development of methodologies for condition assessment that are indicative of possible future research extensions.

Keywords: reinforced concrete structures; chloride-induced corrosion; condition assessment; uncertainty handling; probabilistic uncertainty; fuzzy uncertainty; quantum interpretation; statistical probability; urn model; structural engineering.

DOI: 10.1504/IJFE.2013.053565

International Journal of Forensic Engineering, 2013 Vol.1 No.3/4, pp.238 - 259

Published online: 13 Sep 2014 *

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