Design for Service Life,

Bridge Birth Certificate &

Concrete Structures
Management Concepts
Presented by: Mike Bartholomew, PE
CH2M HILL

AASHTO Bridge Sub-Committee Meeting

T-9 – Technical Committee for Bridge
Preservation
July 6, 2009
New Orleans, LA

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 Discussion Topics
‹ Service Life Design
– Work Being Done in Europe
– Current US Practice
– Exposure Conditions
– Deterioration Mechanisms / Protection Systems
– Mathematical Modeling
– Limit States / Design Process
‹ Bridge Birth Certificate
– Purpose
– Documentation Examples & Templates
– Integration with Inventory Management
Systems

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‹ fédération internationale du béton
(The International Federation for
Structural Concrete)
‹ Writing new Model Code to include
Service Life Design
‹ Publication of 1st draft scheduled for
The Third International fib Congress
– Washington, DC
– May 29 to June 3, 2010

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 fib Commission 5:
Structural Service Life Aspects
‹ Some key areas of interest
– Probabilistic performance based service
life design.
– Service life management.
– Inspection, assessment and
performance monitoring.
– Development and validation of
deterioration mechanisms.

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What do these Bridges have in
common?

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 Answer
‹ Although not similar in:
– Structure Type
– Materials
– Age
– Geographic Locations

‹ They are all:

– Deteriorating with time

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 Service Life (Durability) Design
‹ fib Bulletin 34 – Model Code for Service
Life Design (2006)
‹ Establishes design procedures
– to Resist Deterioration
– from Environmental Actions
‹ In 4 Levels of Design
– Full Probabilistic
– Partial Factor
– “Deemed to Satisfy”
– Avoidance of Deterioration

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 AASHTO LRFD Service Life
(Durability) Design Requirements
‹ 2.5.2.1.1 – The contract documents
shall call for quality materials and for
the application of high standards of
fabrication and erection.

Structural steel shall be self

protecting or have long-life coating
systems or cathodic protection.

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 AASHTO LRFD Service Life
Design Requirements
‹ C2.5.2.1.1 – The intent of this Article
is to recognize the significance of
corrosion and deterioration of
structural materials to the long-term
performance of a bridge.
‹ Durability also mentioned in C5.4.2.1
and 5.12.1.

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 AASHTO LRFD Service Life
Design Requirements
‹ Expectations for durability exist
‹ All recommendations qualify as
“deemed to satisfy” requirements
‹ Code gives no guidance on how long
a structure should remain in service
‹ Lacks models for prediction of
deterioration of structures
‹ No metrics to define if a durable
design is achieved
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 Service Life Design Basics
‹ Establishing Life Expectancy
‹ Identifying
– Environmental Exposure Conditions
– Deterioration Mechanisms
– Material Resistance to Deterioration
‹ EstablishingMathematical Modeling
Parameters to Predict Deterioration
‹ Setting Acceptable Damage Limits

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 Life Expectancy
‹ AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design
Specifications – Section 1.2
– Design Life – Period of time on which
the statistical derivation of transient
loads is based – 75 years for these
Specifications.

– Service Life – The period of time that

the bridge is expected to be in
operation.

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What’s a Reasonable Service Life?
‹ 50, 75, 100, 150 years, … more?

‹ Expected Service Life is based on

– Owner’s desires and expectations

‹ Actual Service Life will depend on

– Exposure conditions of structure
– Quality of materials, design and
construction
– Level of maintenance performed
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 Indicative Values for
Design Service Life – fib Bulletin 34
Design Service Examples
Life, yrs
10 Temporary Structures
(Structures or parts of structures that can be dismantled with a
view to being re-used are not to be considered temporary)

10-25 Replaceable structure parts, e.g.,

gantry girders, bearings
15-30 Agricultural and similar structures

50 Buildings and other common

structures
100 Monumental buildings, bridges, and
other civil engineering structures
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 Service Life Designed Structures
‹ Great Belt Bridge, Denmark (100
yrs)

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 Service Life Designed Structures
‹ Confederation Bridge, Canada (100
yrs)

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 Service Life Designed Structures
‹ SanFrancisco – Oakland Bay Bridge
(150 yrs)

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What About These Structures?
‹ Representing
the majority of the
600,000+ Bridges in the US

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Exposure Conditions

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 Site Exposure Conditions
‹ Aggressivity of Environment
– Sea water
– De-icing agents
– Chemical attack
‹ Temperature / Humidity
– Freeze / thaw cycles
– Wet / Dry cycles
– Tropical (every +10º C doubles rate of
corrosion)

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 Member Exposure Conditions
‹ Marine
– Submerged, tidal, splash, atmospheric
zones
‹ Geographic Orientation
– N-S-E-W, seaward, landward
‹ Surface Orientation
– Ponding, condensation, protection from
wetting, corners

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 Exposure Classes –
European Standard EN-206-1
Class Description

X0 No Risk of Corrosion or Attack

XC1-XC4 Corrosion Induced by Carbonation

XD1-XD3 Corrosion induced by chlorides other

than from sea water
XS1-XS3 Corrosion induced by chlorides from
sea water
XF1-XF4 Freeze/thaw attack with or without de-
icing agents
XA1-XA3 Chemical attack
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 Deterioration
‹ Nothing lasts forever

‹ Everymaterial deteriorates at a
unique rate

‹ Deterioration
rate is dependent on
exposure conditions

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 Deterioration Mechanisms
‹ Reinforced Concrete
– Chloride Induced Corrosion
(Seawater, de-icing salts)

– Carbonation Induced Corrosion

(Normal CO2 from atmosphere)

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 Deterioration Mechanisms
‹ Structural Steel
– Corrosion after Breakdown of Protective
Coating Systems

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 Protection Systems
‹ Material’s
Own Ability to Resist
Deterioration – Concrete Quality
(Permeability) and Cover

‹ Protective Coatings

‹ Membranes & Overlays

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Deterioration Models

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Chloride Induced Corrosion Models
‹ Fick’s 2nd Law Models Time to Initiate Corrosion in
Uncracked Concrete
⎛ ⎛ cov − Δx ⎞ ⎞
Ccrit C( x cov, t) Co + ( Cs , Δx − Co) ⋅ ⎜ 1 − erf⎜ ⎟⎟
⎝ ⎝ 2⋅ D ⋅
app , C ⎠ ⎠
t

C(x,t) Chloride concentration at depth & time

erf Mathematical error function
Ccrit Critical chloride content (to initiate corrosion)
Co Initial chloride content of the concrete
Cs,Δx Chloride concentration at surface or depth Δx
cov Depth of concrete cover
Dapp,C Apparent coefficient of chloride diffusion in
concrete (permeability)
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Deterioration Models / Limit States

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Limit States – Reinforced Concrete
‹ 1 - Depassivation – No damage to
reinforcing / end of initiation phase,
corrosion begins
‹ 2 - Cracking – Initial expansion of
corrosion by-products
‹ 3 - Spalling – Corrosion by-products cause
loss of concrete cover and bond to
reinforcing steel
‹ 4 - Collapse – Loss of reinforcing steel
cross section from corrosion

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 Limit States
‹ Current practice for new structures is
Depassivation phase
‹ fib Commission 5 established task
groups on June 18-19, 2009 in
London to better define:
– Critical Chloride Content to cause
reinforcing steel depassivation
– Measurable limits for cracking, spalling,
and loss of section
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 Structural vs. Durability Issues
Design
Design Work Item Structural Issues Durability Issues

Identify Owner’s Functionality, Capacity (# Target Service Life

Requirements & Desires lanes), Appearance
Identify Externally Applied Loads (Self weight, Live Environmental actions
Actions Loads, Wind, Thermal, (chloride attack, carbonation,
Seismic, etc.) and Load freeze-thaw, chemical attack,
Factors etc.)
Select Materials Concrete Strength, Steel Yield Chloride diffusion coefficient
& Ductility and Resistance in concrete, reinforcing steel
Factors type & coating (plain, epoxy
coated, stainless)
Determine Dimensions Spans, Component cross Cover dimensions
sections
Summarize Results Construction Plans & Durability Report (initiate
Specifications, Engineer’s Birth Certificate),
Cost Estimate, Calculation Construction Specifications
Books (new Diffusion Coefficient
testing), Engineer’s Cost
Estimate
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 What is Needed to Implement a
Service Life Design Process?
‹ Further Development of
– Deterioration Models (especially for
Propagation phase)
– Limit States for Acceptable Damage (including
critical chloride content)
‹ Creating Design Examples / Workshops
‹ Transfer Concrete Service Life Design
Process to Steel and Other Materials
‹ Get the Attention of FHWA & AASHTO
State Bridge Engineers
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 Birth Certificate
‹ fib
New Model Code chapter 2, will
define a Birth Certificate.
A document, report or technical file (depending on the size and
complexity of the structure concerned) containing engineering
information formally defining the form and the condition of the structure
after construction. The document / report should provide specific details
on parameters important to the durability and service life of the structure
concerned (e.g. cover to reinforcement, concrete permeability,
environmental conditions, quality of workmanship achieved etc) and the
basis upon which future knowledge of through-life performance should
be recorded. This framework should provide a means of comparing
actual behaviour / performance with that anticipated at the time of design
of the structure. The document / report should facilitate ongoing
(through-life) evaluation of the service life which is likely to be achieved
by the structure.
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 Birth Certificate Purpose
‹ Contains engineering information
defining form and condition of
structure at end of construction

‹ Documents specific parameters

affecting durability of structure

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 Structural vs. Durability Issues
Construction
Construction Work Item Structural Issues Durability Issues

Perform, Monitor & Inspect Verify dimensions, test & Verify and map cover, test &
Work document material strength document actual material
properties durability properties (chloride
diffusion coefficient, etc.)
Track Variances Accept / Accept with cost Accept / Accept with cost
adjustment for deficiencies / adjustment for deficiencies /
Reject Reject

Summarize Results As-Built Plans, Load Rating Durability Rating, update

Birth Certificate

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 Birth Certificate Purpose
(continued)
‹ Compares actual behavior /
performance with that anticipated
during design

‹ Facilitates
on-going (through-life)
evaluation of remaining service life

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 Structural vs. Durability Issues
In-Service Use
Work Item Structural Issues Durability Issues

Routine Visual Inspections To detect obvious defects Same as structural

(Biennial – required by law) with minimal testing

In-Depth Monitoring (every 7- Reactive – Identify problem Proactive – Testing to monitor

10 years) areas as they occur (Concrete in-service conditions (chloride
Cracks & Spalls, Reinforcing diffusion coefficient, chloride
Corrosion, Joint and Bearing profiles, chloride surface
failure) concentration)
Assessment Change in Use/Loading or Assess Remaining Service Life
After Significant Event of Components
(Earthquake, Hurricane,
Flood, Fire, Explosion,
Truck/Ship Impact)
Rehabilitation/Intervention Replace/Repair/Strengthen Perform Corrosion Surveys -
damaged structural Add Corrosion Protection
components Systems (Galvanic, Cathodic
Protection, or Electrochemical
Systems)
Dismantling Demolish & Remove Waste Recycle & Re-Use Materials
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 Birth Certificate –
Table of Contents
‹ 1) Identification of Asset
– Description & Identification of Structure
– General Plan & Typical Section Drawings
– Design Parameters / Target Service Life

‹ 2)
Environmental Exposure
Conditions

‹ 3) Deterioration Models
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 Birth Certificate –
Table of Contents (continued)
‹ 4)
Summary of Individual Structure
Components
– Mapping of:
‹ Exposure Classes/Severities
‹ Deterioration Models

‹ Mean Material Properties

‹ Mean Cover Dimensions

‹ Expected Service Life (Target & Remaining)

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 Birth Certificate –
Table of Contents (continued)
‹ 5)
Summary of Ancillary
(Replaceable) Components
– Mapping & Documentation (similar to
Structural Components) for:
‹ Bearings

‹ Expansion Joints
‹ Protective Membrane Systems

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 Birth Certificate –
Table of Contents (continued)
‹ 6) In-Service Inspection
– Routine & Special Maintenance Schedule
– Schedule of Inspections
‹ RoutineVisual (Biennial)
‹ In-Depth Monitoring and Sampling (7-10
years)
– Special Test Method Requirements

‹ 7) Dismantling Plan
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Example Birth Certificate

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 Birth Certificate – Next Steps
‹ Determine Guidelines for:
– Type and number of tests of material
durability properties
– Type and extents of as constructed
concrete cover measurements
‹ Develop templates for additional
Deterioration Models for the Example
Birth Certificate (Carbonation)

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 Birth Certificate – Next Steps
‹ Develop criteria for deterioration
models for Ancillary Components
(Joints & Bearings)
‹ Develop a suggested format for
Inspection & Maintenance Schedule
(similar to automobile maintenance
schedules)
‹ Develop a template for a Dismantling
Plan
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 Concluding Remarks
‹ Service Life Design & Inventory
Management
– Addresses the whole life of the structure
– Requires a new proactive mindset for the
industry
– Has huge potential for predicting the future
health, safety, and allocation of funding of our
infrastructure
‹ Process in its Infancy
– Better prediction tools need to be developed
– But, we need to start somewhere

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Questions?

Thank you

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