Reliability analysis of RC T-beam highway bridges in China based on a virtual bridge dataset

• A virtual bridge dataset, contains 8064 RC simply supported T beams was established.
• A Monte-Carlo sampling integrated with first order second moment reliability method was used.
• The statistical characteristic of the reliability indices is studied.
• The influences of the design parameters on bridge reliability index are analyzed.
• The cost-reliability function for reinforced concrete T beams is proposed.

Limit state design method based on probability theory is used in the Chinese highway bridge design codes which adopt partial factors in the design equations. In this paper, a virtual bridge dataset (VBD) including a total of 8064 RC T-beam bridges designed based on the Chinese highway bridge design codes was established. With this VBD, the influences of the different design parameters including span length, girder spacing, concrete grade, reinforcement grade, number of design lanes, and actions on the reliability of the RC T-beams were studied. A Monte-Carlo simulation combined with first order second moment method was employed to calculate the reliability indices of the bridges in the VBD. By conducting a statistical analysis on the calculated reliability indices, it is shown that the reliability indices follow a normal distribution and there is good consistency in the reliability of the bridges with different parameters. Construction cost for the bridges with spans of 16 m in the VBD was calculated, indicating that the construction cost increases along with the increase of the reliability indices. Suggestions with regard to the determination of the target reliability of the bridges in multi objects were also proposed.