Reinforcement Corrosion in RC Hollow Piers: Destructive and Non-Destructive Tests

In this work, cyclic-load tests on reduced-scale corroded reinforced-concrete hollow cross-section bridge piers have been experimentally performed and compared to the results of similar non-corroded piers. Piers were aged by using an imposed electric current and sodium chloride water solution before performing a mechanical cyclic-load test. The corrosion process has been detected with Non-Destructive Evaluation techniques by means of SonReb method (to check concrete degradation) and by measuring corrosion potential (to check steel degradation). The crack pattern was recorded by dedicated cameras, and an LVDT system was set up to monitor the cyclic-load test. Experimental results focused on degradation monitoring and mechanical performance under cyclic loads. During the cyclic-load mechanical test, the first cracks on the piers surface occurred diagonally, inclined at about 45°. This is the consequence of the failure mode change from ductile failure, as expected for slender designed piers, to brittle shear failure. The flexural failure occurred in the case of non-corroded piers. Presented tests can provide a useful contribution of experimental data to analyse the behaviour of corroded reinforced concrete hollow bridge piers, scarcely tested. In particular, the cyclic response can be a useful reference for the proposition/validation of nonlinear capacity models for the evaluation of the seismic capacity of corroded bridge piers.