Corrosion-Dependent Ultimate Strength Assessment of Aged Box Girders Based on Experimental Results

Abstract

This paper presents a corrosion-dependent analysis of the ultimate strength analysis of aged box girders based on experimental results. Three multispan corroded stiffened box girders subjected to four-point vertical load are analyzed, idealizing the behavior of midship sections of full ships. The specimens have three levels of corrosion. Two corrosion-dependent formulas for assessing the ultimate strength as well as the ultimate bending moment of corroded structures are proposed. Using a time-dependent corrosion growth model, equivalent time-dependent formulations are developed. The effect of corrosion degradation on the residual stresses during the service life is also analyzed, and a regression equation for predicting the remaining residual stresses along the service life is proposed. Finally, a corrosion-dependent moment-curvature relationship has been developed accounting for the changes in geometrical characteristics and material properties of the tested box girders.