Service life modeling of a bridge in a tropical marine environment for durable design

Concrete structures have shown premature signs of deterioration by corrosion due to the penetration of chloride ions. This paper performs service life modeling and validates the results with actual data of the total chloride concentration in a reinforced concrete structure. Chloride profiles are obtained from samples collected from a bridge in southeastern Brazil after 36 years of service. The life span of the concrete structure is assessed. The model offers a suitable option for predicting the life span of concrete structures as an engineering tool for the evaluation of risk areas and the construction of durable projects.