Influence of corrosion-induced cracking on structural behavior of reinforced concrete arch ribs

This paper experimentally investigates the effects of corrosion-induced cracking damage on the static behavior of corroded reinforced concrete arch ribs. Four circular reinforced concrete arches including an uncorroded arch rib and three corroded arch ribs are designed and made in laboratory conditions. The initial crack distribution and crack width are discussed by accelerated corrosion test observations. Based on a five-loading static test, the crack propagation, the load-displacement response, the ultimate load bearing capacity and the failure modes of arch ribs are also discussed. Following this, a developed calculation model considering the effect of corrosion damage is used to assess the capacity of the arch ribs. Experimental data are used to validate the proposed method and reasonable agreement is observed between theoretical predictions and experimental results.