Corrosion of reinforcing steel in reinforced concrete (RC) infrastructure is one of the most detrimental deterioration mechanisms, affecting both safety and serviceability. In the present study, a comprehensive analysis methodology of corrosion damage is adopted. The detrimental effects of corrosion‐induced degradation of material properties on the ultimate capacity of an existing aging RC bridge pier under concentric loading are investigated. A three‐dimensional nonlinear finite element analysis using the commercially available finite element program DIANA is used. The main corrosion‐induced deteriorating factors considered in the present study are: concrete strength degradation within the cover and part of the confined concrete core due to corrosion‐induced cracking, degradation of confinement effects, steel area reduction due to uniform corrosion (in both longitudinal and tie reinforcement), steel ductility degradation due to pitting corrosion, buckling of compressive steel bars due to cross‐section reduction and confinement degradation, and bond strength degradation between steel and concrete induced by concrete cracking/spalling. The methodology is evaluated by comparing the numerical results to those of corroded column tests reported in the literature.

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Corrosion of reinforcing steel in reinforced concrete (RC) infrastructure is one of the most concerning durability problems affecting its serviceability and ultimate capacity in North America. The rise of greenhouse emissions in recent decades and the use of de‐icing salts during the winter increase the potential risk of corrosion. Furthermore, global warming could lead to higher freeze–thaw cycles (FTC) frequency in cold regions. The combined effects of corrosion and frost damage tend to affect aging RC infrastructure's structural performance and service life. The present study adopts comprehensive reinforcement corrosion and frost damage models from the literature and proposes a stage‐based damage analysis scenario. Three‐dimensional nonlinear finite element analyses using the commercially available finite element program DIANA are conducted to evaluate the structural performance of RC bridge piers under the synergetic effects of FTCs, corrosion, and service load during their service life. The proposed methodology for each damage mechanism is assessed by comparison with available experimental data from the literature. The synergetic effects cannot be validated because there is no data, but the methodology highlights the deterioration rate at which several mechanisms acting at the same time can affect the structural performance of these members.

A plate finite element formulation is developed for the buckling analysis of steel plates symmetrically strengthened with glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) plates. The solution idealizes the steel and GFRP as Kirchhoff plates while accounting for the shear-flexibility within the adhesive through a postulated zigzag displacement profile. The solution is then used to characterize the elastic buckling strength for steel plates strengthened with GFRP for corroded flanges subjected to compression, and for steel panels subjected to shear. The validity of the present model is assessed through comparisons with three-dimensional and shear deformable shell solutions. The capacity of the strengthened system is found sensitive to GFRP thickness but insensitive to the adhesive shear modulus. A design example is provided to illustrate how CAN-CSA S16-14 provisions for plate girder design can be integrated with the predictions of the present model to characterize the shear capacity of end panels strengthened with GFRP plates.

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