A methodology for durability-based service life design of reinforced concrete flexural members

This paper proposes a methodology for durability-based service life design of reinforced concrete (RC) flexural members that ensures acceptable performance under service loads. The performance measures considered are safety (or collapse) and serviceability (or cracking) of the RC member with respect to chloride-induced corrosion of reinforcement. In the proposed methodology, the uncertainties arising due to the use of linguistic terms for describing the exposure conditions and quality of construction are taken into account by considering the time for corrosion initiation and the variables affecting the rate of corrosion as fuzzy variables. The efficacy of the proposed methodology in predicting the corrosion damage to the structural members is demonstrated through a practical case study. An example is provided to illustrate usefulness of the proposed methodology in making design decisions.