Reliability life analysis of reinforced concrete structures (RCS) in salt corrosion environments: An application of the three-parameter Weibull distribution model
Source abstract
Abstract
Understanding the degradation mechanisms and patterns of concrete is crucial for predicting the service life of concrete structures. Researchers have focused on establishing quantitative correlations between deterioration and time. Traditionally, Fick's second law and chloride diffusion models have been key in durability design. However, the three-parameter Weibull distribution, widely used in reliability analysis, has been underutilized in assessing reinforced concrete durability. To address this, this study investigates the corrosion degradation behavior of reinforced concrete exposed to a coupled salt solution environment (0.32 mol/L NaCl and 0.4 mol/L MgSO₄), utilizing electrochemical testing and a three-parameter Weibull reliability model. The electrochemical results indicated a gradual increase in the corrosion current density, reaching a critical threshold of 10 μA·cm⁻² after 720 days, marking the onset of significant corrosion. The predicted reliability lifespan of C35 reinforced concrete under these aggressive conditions was estimated to be approximately 760 days. To estimate the Weibull parameters (shape parameter U, scale parameter V, and location parameter δ), three parameter estimation methods were employed: the Correlation Coefficient Optimization Method (CCOM), Maximum Likelihood Method (MLM), and Method of Moments (MEM). Among these, CCOM and MLM provided consistent and stable estimates, while MEM exhibited larger estimation errors. The reliability curves derived from CCOM and MLM displayed similar trends, with reliability maintaining a constant value in the initial phase and then rapidly decreasing after 730 days. These findings not only deepen the understanding of reinforced concrete’s corrosion behavior in aggressive environments but also suggest that CCOM and MLM are the most reliable methods for parameter estimation in cases with limited sample sizes.
Source: openalex_inverted_index · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Concrete Corrosion and Durability · Concrete and Cement Materials Research · Corrosion Behavior and Inhibition
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
References (31)
Show source-provided references
1. Haddad · 2024
2. Mechanical and durable properties of chopped basalt fiber reinforced recycled aggregate concrete and the mathematical modeling10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.123901 ↗
3. The impact of fractal gradation of aggregate on the mechanical and durable characteristics of recycled concrete10.3390/fractalfract7090663 ↗
4. Regeneration diagnosis for the service lifespans of residential buildings on a circular economy perspective10.1016/j.enbuild.2024.114536 ↗
5. Effect of carbonation on physical sulfate attack on concrete by Na2SO410.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.10.191 ↗
6. Durability performance of a seawater fully recycled aggregate concrete (SFRAC) frame structure under four-year marine exposure10.1016/j.engstruct.2025.121132 ↗
7. Feature extraction and quantitative analysis of steel corrosion in reinforced concrete components based on XCT scanning and deep learning model
8. Long-term performance of recycled aggregate concrete beams exposed to 10 years of loading and chloride environments10.1016/j.engstruct.2025.120140 ↗
9. Steel corrosion in precast reinforced concrete column-beam joint with grouted sleeve connections under chloride-rich environment
10. Sulfate-induced expansion of cement treated road base: Deterioration law of performance and air-void structure change under water-heat-salt coupling effect10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2022.129475 ↗
11. Experimental study of chloride resistance of polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete with fly ash and modeling
12. Dynamic compression mechanical behavior and strength prediction modeling of sulfate attacked concrete under triaxial static pre-loading
13. Study on the deterioration of concrete performance in saline soil area under the combined effect of high low temperatures, chloride and sulfate salts10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2024.105531 ↗
14. Effect of nano-CaCO3 on the physical and mechanical properties of analogue to silty mudstone materials10.1007/s12517-021-08688-7 ↗
15. Experimental study on the performance of basalt fiber combined with cement-based material solidified shield waste mud under the coupled effects of acid corrosion and dry-wet cycles10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140110 ↗
16. Scouring erosion resistance of nano-marine concrete under the coupled effect of chloride attack and dry - wet cycles
17. Erosion damage and expansion evolution of interfacial transition zone in concrete under dry-wet cycles and sulfate erosion10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.124954 ↗
18. Research progress on durability of marine concrete under the combined action of Cl− erosion
19. Degradation progress of concrete subject to combined sulfate-chloride attack under drying-wetting cycles and flexural loading10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2017.06.074 ↗
20. Durability, service life prediction, and modelling for reinforced concrete structures – review and critique10.1016/j.cemconres.2019.04.018 ↗
21. Life-Cycle Performance of Deteriorating Structural Systems under Uncertainty: Review
22. Effect of construction wastes on the rheo-physical behavior of photocatalytic mortar
23. Study on the microstructure of recycled aggregate concrete strengthened by the nano-SiO2 soaking method10.1016/j.istruc.2023.105388 ↗
24. Reliability analysis of lifetime systems based on Weibull distribution
25. An In-Depth Review of the Weibull Model with a Focus on Various Parameterizations
26. Small data reliability analysis in concrete three-point bending tests: A Weibull mixture model approach based on Weibull fracture theory10.1016/j.engfracmech.2024.110344 ↗
27. Accelerated testing of plain and epoxy-coated reinforcement in simulated seawater and chloride solutions10.1016/S0008-8846(01)00487-2 ↗
28. Assessment of corrosion inhibition efficiency of generic compounds having different functional groups in carbonated pore solution with chlorides and migration ability in concrete10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.123275 ↗
29. Reinforced concrete structures: A review of corrosion mechanisms and advances in electrical methods for corrosion monitoring10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.121240 ↗
30. Passive film modification by concrete carbonation: Re-visiting a corrosion-resistant steel with Cr and Mo10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2021.104178 ↗
31. Study on the passivation effect and corrosion mechanism of an environmentally protective insulating coating on non-oriented electrical steel