Concrete Piers Research Articles

Investigation of the Pier Response during the Lateral Slide of Multi-Span Bridges

Lateral slide-in bridge construction—also referred to as slide-in bridge construction (SIBC)—has gained increasing attention as a viable accelerated bridge construction (ABC) approach. Although SIBC has been successfully employed on multiple single-span bridge projects, the use of SIBC on multi-span bridges is rare. Adding more spans creates a more complex system that requires connections (and other details) that were previously not needed in a single-span slide. Also, it is a concern that the multi-span bridge would need to slide on piers, which creates possible uplift and overturning scenarios. As such, it was vitally important to understand the structural response of the substructure during the bridge sliding. Although much general information on lateral slides as an ABC method was available, very little literature had been published related explicitly to such construction for multi-span bridges. The objective of this research was to develop durable design details to be used with the lateral slide concept with a focus on pier connection details and evaluate the performance of the bridge pier during the sliding. To achieve the goal, relevant information was collected and evaluated by conducting a literature review on various details and construction approaches for previously completed lateral slide projects. Further, a three-span, 300 ft long steel girder bridge on IA 1 southwest of Iowa City, Iowa, U.S., was monitored using gauges during the slide-in. The results indicated that the current slide-in practice works well with the multi-span steel girder superstructure and the wall pier. No significant response from the substructure was visually observed during the slide-in, and no cracking occurred on the concrete deck or piers. This indicated that the superstructure with steel girders and concrete diaphragms could be built with the lateral slide-in method. The significant strain was measured from the pile strain gauges. However, the piles were functionally adequate to carry the vertical load, and the moment carried by each pile was minimal. An uplifting action was captured on Pier 1. However, this effect was minimal on Pier 2.

A study of the impact damages detection and dynamic responses of RC bridge piers based on a frequency domain correlation method

The applicability potential of correlation methods (damage correlation indexes) based on frequency domains in the impact damage detection fields of reinforced concrete columns were examined in the present study. In the current study’s experiments, four reinforced concrete bridge pier members of reduced scale were impacted by a new type of ultra-high drop hammer experiment system in order to simulate the processes of medium-sized trucks impacting bridge piers. The frequency response functions of the members before and after damages occurred were measured using an acceleration acquisition system. The experimental results revealed that the damage correlation indexes (DCI) taken into account the multi-order modal frequencies could be used to accurately identify the degrees of damage to the piers. In addition, an impact finite element model and a modal analysis method were matched with the experiments and were established using the commercial program LS-DYNA. Finally, the setting of the finite element parameters matching the experimental results was applied for the purpose of simulating the impact processes between the medium-sized trucks and the reinforced concrete piers. In order to meet the structural design requirements, a peak impact force (PIF) formula under vehicle impact conditions was proposed based on the damage indexes.

Enhanced Strategies for Seismic Resilient Posttensioned Reinforced Concrete Bridge Piers: Experimental Tests and Numerical Simulations

Recent studies have proposed and investigated the use of unbonded posttensioned (PT) bars in bridge substructure systems to improve their self-centering behavior. However, the lateral loading resistance and self-centering capacities of reinforced concrete (RC) piers with PT bars (i.e., the posttensioned RC bridge piers: PRC piers) could be easily compromised by early crushing of the base compression toe during a seismic event. Hence, in order to enhance the pier base integrity, the present study proposes and experimentally investigates three simple strategies for enhancing the seismic-damage resistance of PRC piers based on the use of (1) a steel tube to encase the PRC pier’s end segment; (2) ultrahigh performance concrete at the PRC pier’s end segment; and (3) engineered cementitious composite mortar bed underneath the pier bottom. The performance of these three PRC piers was assessed by comparing them with a conventional PRC pier under cyclic loading and considering the damage evolution and the cyclic force-displacement response. The comparison shows that the proposed enhanced PRC solutions allow improving the seismic performance of the system sustaining large lateral drifts with good self-centering behavior. Moreover, based on the test results, finite element models accounting for PT force loss and the rocking characteristics were validated to reproduce the piers’ cyclic response, thus highlighting the importance of considering PT force loss during numerical simulations.

Probabilistic seismic assessment of innovative concrete bridge piers with Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) by different types of shape memory alloys (SMAs) bars

Critical role of bridges in post-earthquake rescue activities has made their seismic safety a major concern of structural engineers. While preventing collapse is one of essential requirements in bridge engineering, recent earthquakes have shown that bridges may also cease functionality due to residual deformations. To address this, shape memory alloys (SMAs) have received wide attentions according to their ability to recover the initial shape even after large plastic deformations. Two types of SMAs (NiTi and Cu–Al–Mn) are used in this paper to reinforce nine different concrete bridge piers in which Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC) is also used for enhancing ductility in plastic hinge region. Each of the piers is subjected to 56 near field ground motions and collapse capacity of the piers is evaluated probabilistically using incremental dynamic analysis. The comparative results indicate that simultaneous use of steel and NiTi reinforcement in a plastic hinge area filled with ECC concrete can lead to a 30% improvement in median collapse capacity of the studied pier.

Comparative Assessment of Variable Loads and Seismic Actions on Bridges: A Case Study in Italy Using a Multimodal Approach

The structural safety of the infrastructure stock is an important issue in modern seismic performance assessments. Following recent seismic events, reports have highlighted the increased vulnerability of physical infrastructural assets, particularly for many bridges across the Italian road and motorway network. Italy possesses one of the most complex and intricate road systems in Europe which was constructed across irregular territories in terms of plan and elevation and of varying dimensions. As such, a comparative case study is presented herein. This case study aims to characterise the seismic vulnerability of the Vizzana-Zampogna viaduct which is part of the A15 Parma-La Spezia motorway, near the locality of Selva Bocchetto. The viaduct is considered representative of the 1970s construction period. It is approximately 342 m in length and is characterized by a flat curvilinear prestressed concrete deck consisting of 15 spans simply supported on reinforced concrete piers. To better understand the seismic structural response of the individual piers of the viaduct, a “multi-modal” nonlinear static analysis was developed, which allows the effects of sectional stresses relative to the variable load profiles of the single modes to be combined through the quadratic modal combination, and to be compared with the relevant limit state. The research aims to qualitatively identify the piers most vulnerable to seismic action and to study the effects that are induced by introducing variable loads and intensity scenarios of different earthquakes.

Dynamic behaviors and equivalent static force of double-column pier under horizontal impact

The booms in transportation and bridge engineering are accompanied by the increasing threat of vehicular collisions with bridge piers. This study experimentally and numerically examines the dynamic behaviors of double-column reinforced concrete (RC) pier subjected to horizontal impact. Firstly, a series of reduced-scale horizontal impact test on five double-column RC pier specimens (containing the impacted pier, adjacent pier, and bent cap) is conducted considering different impact velocities and mass. Then, based on the previously-validated material models and finite element (FE) analysis algorithms, the five present and twelve additional impact cases are numerically simulated. The test and simulated results indicate that, (i) the whole impact process can be divided into cracking, resiling, and oscillating stages, and the impact force–time history and impact force-lateral displacement curve can be simply characterized by six critical points; (ii) the impact velocity dominates the development of impact force–time history, while the effect of impact mass becomes more significant with impact process progressing; (iii), the damage levels of impacted and adjacent piers as well as bent cap, and the maximal lateral displacement of impacted pier are positively related to the impact kinetic energy rather than the impact momentum. Finally, based on the pier shear resistance and the energy conversion, the novel equivalent static force (ESF) and corresponding ESF-based performance design are proposed for double-column RC pier against horizontal impact. The present work can provide the benchmark test data for validating the FE models, and the determination approach for the ESF-based performance design of bridge piers under vehicular collisions.

Experimental and finite element investigations on hydration heat and early cracks in massive concrete piers

The concrete hydration heat and different construction methods directly affects the early crack resistance of massive concrete structures and may lead to concrete cracks. In this work, the hydration heat test and finite element simulation were conducted to investigate the early cracking resistance and the main influencing factors of the massive concrete bridge pier. The size of the bridge pier was 8 m (length) × 4 m (width) × 22.5 m (height), and the pier was poured in two layers (8.5 m/14 m) with an interval of 37 h. The internal temperature of the pier was tested 16 days after the concrete pouring using pre-buried temperature sensors, and the crack expansion on the surface of the pier was continuously observed during the test period. The test obtained a maximum concrete temperature of 64.25 °C after 100 h after the concrete pouring, and 3 cracks were found on the surface of the pier. The pier simulation model is established according to the actual situation in the test, The maximum temperature inside the bridge pier obtained from the simulation is 61.73 ℃, and the temperature field development pattern and the crack expansion on the pier surface were basically consistent with the test, which confirmed the reliability of the simulation method. Besides, the simulation process found that the maximum main tensile stress on the surface of the bridge pier was 2.77 MPa, which was mainly distributed near the interface of the 2 layers, indicating that the layered pouring scheme adopted in the test was improper. The effect of layered casting schemes on the early cracking resistance of massive concrete has rarely been discussed, and further simulations revealed that: the maximum main tensile stress can be reduced by gradually improving the number of layers, layer height and interval between each layer. By changing the original layered pouring scheme to 3 layers with an interval of 3 days between each layer, the maximum principal tensile stress is reduced to 1.50 MPa, and early cracking of the bridge pier can be avoided. This work provides a general numerical analysis method with high accuracy, parameterization and quantification for early crack control of massive concrete structures in a multi-factor complex environment.

Comparative study on seismic performance of concrete-filled double skin tubular piers and hollow concrete piers: Experimental and analytical

Hollow bridge piers with concrete-filled double skin tubular (CFDST) section could offer more efficient fabrication and better confinement effect, but increase construction cost with the use of steel tubes if compared to regular hollow concrete bridge piers. Although hollow concrete piers and CFDST piers have been the focus of the existing experimental and numerical studies, there is limited information available regarding to the seismic performance comparisons of the two systems while considering the cost perspective. Therefore, a comparative study was carried out in the current study to compare the seismic performance of the two designs quantitatively, while considering the cost effectiveness. The experimental results of the two designs were compared in terms of lateral force bearing capacity, deformation capacity, energy dissipation, stiffness degradation, residual displacement, and performance per cost ratio. It has been found that the lateral force bearing capacity, the displacement ductility, the effective pier flexural stiffness and the performance per cost ratio of CFDST pier increased by 50.2%, 16.7%, 22.9% and 36.5%, respectively, while the residual drift ratio reduced by 33.3% at a large drift ratio of 3.0%. In addition, the seismic performance of another two CFDST piers with different diameter-to-thickness ratio of outer steel tubes and hollow ratio was studied through cyclic lateral loading tests. A verified finite element model was also developed to further conduct parametric study to fully investigate the influence of the diameter-to-thickness ratio of outer steel tubes and hollow ratio on the seismic performance of CFDST piers. Experimental and numerical results have found that the diameter-to-thickness ratio of outer steel tubes is one of the most important factors that influences the seismic performance of CFDST piers. In contrast, the hollow ratio significantly influences the deformation capacity of CFDST piers without significantly affecting the lateral force bearing capacity. The diameter-to-thickness ratio of outer steel tubes is suggested to take between 60 and 150, and the hollow ratio is suggested to take between 0.5 and 0.7 for cost effectiveness and ductile seismic design purposes of CFDST bridge piers.

Experimental study and numerical simulation of precast segmental bridge column with a central RC tenon

In this study, a new connection method is proposed for improving the seismic performance of prefabricated reinforced concrete (PRC) segmental piers. In addition to the traditional grouted corrugated pipe (GCP), the new connection uses a reinforced concrete tenon (RCT) to strengthen the joint and improve the hysteretic performance of the pier under lateral loading. Experimental studies were conducted on three specimens with a scale ratio of 1:5 cast-in-place (CIP), PRC-GCP, and PRC-GCP-RCT piers. The responses of the tested specimens were compared using different performance metrics, and a comparison of the results showed that the GCP-RCT connection could provide a feasible solution because it significantly increased the lateral-load and energy-dissipation capacities of the pier. The GCP-RCT connection was also efficient in alleviating flexural damage and reducing residual displacement of the pier shaft. Moreover, three-dimensional (3D) finite-element (FE) models of the tested specimens, incorporating the contact effects between the connections of the two precast specimens, were developed in ABAQUS. Good agreement was obtained between the numerical and experimental results.

Prospects of Consumer-Grade UAVs for Overpass Bridges Pier Pads Alignment

The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for surveying is at the forefront of their use in the Architectural Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. UAVs make accessing hard-to-reach construction regions simpler and more cost-effective because of their small size, ease of mobility, and the wealth of information given by their integrated sensors. Accordingly, their use is thriving in different AEC sectors such as the management and inspection of engineering facilities such as concrete bridges. Overpass bridge engineering inspections are still applied using high accuracy surveying instruments in situ to ensure meeting the quality standards of construction. One important application is to measure the bridge pier caps centerline fitting using total stations, which is costly in terms of time and labor. Therefore, in this article, a new approach based on consumer-grade UAV imaging is proposed for replacing the traditional surveying techniques which are expected to improve automation and reduce time and cost. The proposed method utilized a sequence of processes on the UAV point clouds of the bridge concrete pier caps to finally extract the pier pads center and check their alignment. In two experiments, point clouds are created using DJI Phantom 3 images taken over bridge pier projects under construction, and concrete pad centers are then estimated and compared to the reference total station measurements. The results of both tests reveal the ability of the proposed method to attain the required accuracy for the pads’ alignment, as the root mean square error (RMSE) is one centimeter and two centimeters for the first and second tests, respectively. In addition, the new approach can reduce implementation time and the project budget.

Application of elastic wave tomography method for damage evaluation in a large-scale reinforced concrete structure

Quality control of construction works and characterization of defects in newly built reinforced concrete structures is an important issue. Usually, these kinds of defects can be evaluated by means of visual inspection, however, there are cases, in which damage cannot be reliably evaluated visually. In this situation, Non-Destructive Testing methods can be used. In this study we report the results of application of Elastic Wave Tomography method for evaluation of a defect in a newly built reinforced concrete bridge pier. A large void located inside the bridge pier was detected using Elastic Wave Tomography method. Due to the presence of the large defect the structure was demolished. Elements of the demolished bridge pier were visually observed, which allowed to confirm the results of Elastic Wave Tomography method.

Genetic Programming–Based Drift Ratio Limit Models for Segmental Posttensioned Precast Concrete Piers

Segmental posttensioned precast concrete (SPPC) is a promising approach to accelerated bridge construction (ABC). However, an impediment to the performance-based design of SPPC piers lies in the challenge of defining appropriate damage states and corresponding engineering demand parameter (EDP) limits. To address this, in this study, genetic programming (GP), a form of artificial intelligence, is used to develop drift ratio–based EDP limit models in order to identify the onset of four damage levels that are particularly introduced herein for SPPC piers. In this respect, a finite-element model using ABAQUS is developed and experimentally validated to simulate the response of SPPC piers under seismic loading. The model is then utilized to generate a data set of 316 cases, all within the feasible design space of SPPC piers. This data set is subsequently used to develop GP-based predictive equations that map the relationship between different SPPC pier design parameters (e.g., posttensioning strand ratio, concrete compressive strength, and gravity load level) and EDP (i.e., drift ratio) limits. The performance of the developed equations is evaluated through different measures, including fitness function and performance index. Ultimately, parametric and sensitivity analyses are conducted to demonstrate that the GP-based equations are robust enough to characterize the four damage states for SPPC piers.

Seismic Fragility of a Single Pillar-Column Under Near and Far Fault Soil Motion with Consideration of Soil-Pile Interaction

The soil-structure interaction is a significant challenge faced by civil engineers due to the complexity potential in terms of seismic fragility evaluation. This paper presents a seismic fragility estimation of a single pier considering seismic ground motion types. Furthermore, sand type, pile diameter, pier height, and mass variation were considered to estimate their effect on the seismic fragility of the concrete pier. Incremental dynamic analysis was performed using a beam on a nonlinear Winkler foundation model. The analysis model condition compared near- and far-ground motion effects. Dynamic analysis and fragility assessment of the single-pier structure showed that low mass center produced less vulnerability of the concrete pier in the two cases of the sand type under near- and far-ground motions. The near and far earthquake simulations at complete failure probability had a difference of less than 5% when 0.65s<T1<1s and 2.4<T1/T2, but the opposite was shown when T1<0.5s and 3<T1/T2 were present together.

Pseudo-static tests of reinforced concrete pier columns confined with pre-tensioned superelastic shape memory alloy wires

To enhance the seismic performance and self-centring capacity of reinforced concrete (RC) pier columns, a novel self-centring shape memory alloy (SMA) wire-confined–RC-composite column was proposed and experimentally tested in this study. One common RC-pier specimen and eight SMA-wire-constrained–RC-pier specimens were constructed for experimentation. The effects of the axial-compression ratio, SMA pre-strain level, and SMA configuration rate on the seismic performance of the RC piers were investigated. The failure mode, hysteresis curve, skeleton curve, bearing capacity, ductility, stiffness, energy-dissipation capacity, and self-centring capacity of the novel column are illustrated and discussed. The test results show that, compared with the shear failure of normal RC-pier columns, the failure mode of the SMA-wire-confined–RC-pier columns were transformed into bending failure or bending-shear failure with certain ductility. With an increase in the SMA-wire configuration rate, the shear bearing capacity, ductility, energy-dissipation capacity, and self-centring capacity of the RC-pier columns were improved. Pre-tensioned SMA wires were attributed to the earlier activation of force restraint and provided a greater binding force, providing more shear restraint and improving the deformation capacity of the core concrete. The ductility and bearing capacity of the strengthened specimens decreased with an excessively large axial-compression ratio; however, they were higher than those of unreinforced specimens. The research results provide new ideas and an experimental basis for the external strength gain and rapid recovery of existing RC piers after an earthquake.

Seismic vulnerability assessment of reinforced concrete bridge piers with corroded bars

AbstractReinforced concrete (RC) structures located in aggressive environment, for example, RC bridge piers close to the sea and experiencing chloride attacks, may be exposed to an increased seismic vulnerability. This requires practical yet effective safety assessment strategies aimed to determine the seismic behavior by incorporating corrosion deterioration phenomena. An easy‐to‐use phenomenological model is here developed to describe the seismic behavior of corroded RC elements based on a fiber hinge formulation wherein the corrosion‐induced mechanical degradation of concrete and steel is implemented through appropriate constitutive laws at the fiber level. The developed fiber hinge formulation is first validated against experimental cyclic tests of corroded RC columns from the literature. Then, the proposed approach is used for the seismic vulnerability assessment of the Zappulla multi‐span viaduct (southern Italy), whose RC bridge piers (with a box‐shaped, two‐cell hollow rectangular cross section) are exposed to carbonation and chloride‐induced corrosion. A comprehensive in‐situ testing campaign is conducted for the mechanical characterization of the materials in the RC piers. Corrosion potential mapping, carbonation tests and tensile tests on corroded bars extracted from RC piers are critically interpreted to calibrate the constitutive laws of the fiber‐hinge model. Motivated by experimental findings, numerical seismic analyses (including linear dynamic, nonlinear static and nonlinear dynamic analyses) are performed under two different corrosion scenarios to quantify the impact of corrosion on the resulting seismic vulnerability conditions of bridge piers with corroded bars. The proposed approach is characterized by low computational cost and lends itself to large‐scale seismic vulnerability assessment of other existing RC bridges placed in corrosive environment.

Hysteretic model of reinforced concrete bridge piers based on earthquake damage and corrosion from saline soil

A hysteretic model of reinforced concrete (RC) bridge piers in saline soil environment, incorporating corrosion-induced overall structural degradation, is obtained based on earthquake damage by applying damage parameter. A damage analysis of the observed 13 RC bridge piers tested under cyclic loading including cracks evolution, residual deformation, relative unloading degradation, cyclic unloading stiffness degradation and strength deterioration is presented. A quantification approach for seismic damage considers the sources of deterioration: i.e., number of loading cycles and controlled displacements and incorporates a deterioration parameter aiming to control the deterioration modes. The skeleton model consists of three segments and is determined by simplifying the experimental skeleton curve. Yield strength reduction and sectional loss of reinforcement are computed to characterize the corrosion-induced degradation. It is determined that the equivalent skeleton model could match the experimental results. The applicability as well as accuracy of proposed model in simulating the hysteretic behaviours are calibrated by comparing the model with the experimental curves. The model is capable to approximate the complete hysteretic response.

Evaluation of hybrid NSM-CFRP technical bars and FRP sheets for seismic rehabilitation of a concrete bridge pier

Seismic retrofit is a cost-effective and sustainable solution for improving bridge structures in seismic zones. Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) is commonly used to replace steel components in retrofit projects due to their light weight, high strength, and high corrosion resistance. The fabrication of novel hybrid structures from FRP and concrete is the next step researchers are addressing. In this context, the present study focuses on numerical modeling of the experimentally determined response of a hybrid FRP and concrete bridge pier subjected to quasi-static tests. The results from FEM showed strong agreement with the experimental response in terms of load-displacement curve and failure mode. After validating the model, alternative designs (changing the height of the CFRP slab, changing the height and compaction of the CFRP bar, and concrete encasement with and without CFRP slab) were numerically tested to investigate the effects of each model on the load capacity. With the conventional concrete encasement, the bearing capacity of the bridge pier can be rehabilitated, but with the CFRP plate in the above system, the bearing capacity of the bridge pier is increased by more than 60%. Therefore, it can be concluded that seismic strengthening techniques with CFRP sheets and mounted NSM-CFRP bars are suitable for concrete bridge piers.

Evaluation of two methods for detection of viable Bacillus anthracis simulant spores in maritime environmental samples.

Analytical methods exist to detect biothreat agents in environmental samples during a response to biological contamination incidents. However, the coastal zone facilities and assets of the US Coast Guard (USCG), including response boats in diverse geographical areas and maritime environmental conditions, can pose complex and unique challenges for adapting existing analytical detection methods. The traditional culture (TC) and the rapid viability polymerase chain reaction (RV-PCR) methods were evaluated for their compatibility for maritime environmental surface and grab sample analysis to detect spores of Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies kurstaki (Btk), a surrogate for Bacillus anthracis. The representative samples collected from a USCG installation included surfaces, such as aluminum on boats, nonskid tread on decks of watercraft, computer touchscreens, and concrete piers, and grab samples of boat washdown water, soil, vegetation, and gravel from surrounding areas. Replicate samples were spiked with Btk spores at two to three tenfold increasing levels and analyzed. Out of a total of 150 samples collected and analyzed, the TC method gave 10 false-positive and 19 false-negative results, while the RV-PCR method-based analysis resulted in 0 false-positive and 26 false-negative results. An abundance of microbial background and particulates in some samples interfered with true results, while both methods gave similar results for samples with low microbial background and particulates. Improved and high-throughput sample processing methods are needed for analysis of complex environmental samples.

Optimization of critical factors responsible for prestressed concrete bridge pier collapse

In this research, the Taguchi approach has been used to identify the crucial factors responsible for the failure of a reinforced concrete bridge pier in India. The Taguchi method’s orthogonal array L27 examines the effect of material dynamic response factors on the pier damage level. According to Taguchi’s design of experiments, five input criteria relating to reinforced concrete bridge materials properties have been chosen as controllable factors: concrete strength, rebar strength, damping ratio, isolator pier stiffness, and abutment stiffness. The nonlinear time history approach uses Midas- Civil for a 3-D finite element model of an existing bridge at Sangli, India. The research included bridge pier collapse as a performance criterion. The analysis of variance revealed that stiffness of abutment, stiffness of pier, and damping ratio for pier deck significantly impacted the pier collapse performance. The result shows that concrete strength and damping ratio are the essential parameters, with 42% and 41% of the total contribution to pier displacement, respectively. Therefore, it is concluded that the most critical material factors for pier collapse are abutment stiffness and pier stiffness, with a contribution of 53 % and 23%, respectively.

Influence of spatially heterogeneous deterioration patterns on strength and ductility of corroded reinforced concrete bridge piers

This work reports on some preliminary results obtained within the framework of a wide research project aimed to study the influence of the corrosion of in Reinforced Concrete (RC) piers on the overall seismic performances of bridges. In this context, after the statistical evaluation of a large database of real structures, a consistent set of bridges and piers has been selected as a sample representative of typical bridge profiles, pier heights and cross-sections as well as of material properties. In the first part of the project, pushover analyses of isolated piers with different corrosion patterns and intensity are carried out to evaluate the residual strength and ductility of corroded piers. In the second part, nonlinear static and dynamic seismic analyses of bridges with corroded piers are carried out to evaluate the influence of the deterioration on the overall seismic performance. Due to specific environmental conditions exposure or to water percolation from the superstructures, it is often the case that corrosion is non-uniformly distributed over piers producing non-homogeneous spatial deterioration patterns. The nonlinear modeling of this type of situations represents specific challenges related to the description of the deterioration patterns and the calibration of material properties. To this end, a multi-level modeling approach based on fiber-based finite elements has been developed and implemented in a specific OpenSeesPy software that allows users to accurately model RC piers subject to arbitrary corrosion patterns, up to their ultimate limit states. In this work, a specific case study of a typical RC rectangular hollow bridge extracted from the mentioned above database subject to different corrosion intensity and patterns is studied. In particular, the influence of the corrosion-induced deterioration on residual strength and ductility are studied. Results show that depending on the intensity and on the patterns significant variations of both strength and ductility can be observed with respect to the undamaged conditions.