Ultimate strength assessment of corroded box girders

This work deals with the evaluation of the ultimate bending moment of two box girders subjected to different levels of corrosion degradation and experimentally tested under pure vertical bending moment. A series of nonlinear finite element analysis have been conducted. Two models of corrosion degradation have been used representing an average general corrosion thickness reduction, and the real corrosion thickness as it is measured. Based on the real corrosion measurements, experimental ultimate strength and finite element calculations, a relationship has been developed to predict the expected difference in the ultimate strength calculations based on the FE models representing the corrosion degradation as an average thickness reduction or as the real measured corrosion reduction.

► The ultimate bending moment of two corroded box girders under vertical bending moment is studied. ► A series of nonlinear finite element analysis have been conducted. ► Two models of corrosion degradation have been used. ► A relationship has been developed to predict the expected ultimate strength based on the FE models.