Reliability Assessment of Reinforced Concrete Structures with Respect to Material Degradation

A special research center (SFB) consisting of some 15 projects sponsored by the German Science Foundation (DFG) is established at Bochum University. The main object is to develop a basis for long-term prognoses of the structural behavior with respect to changes of the material properties and of their scattering; e.g., mechanical damage accumulation models and further deteriorative prediction models are generated. The time histories of these influences are of special importance, as different categories of design life times are considered. In this contribution, special reference is given to the structural design for different working lives, with respect to probabilistics. A reliability assessment concept based on nonlinear material models is developed for reinforced concrete structures. Thus, a basis is obtained for calibrating partial safety factors, as they are preferably used in engineering practice. Principal elements of the nonlinear deterministic and probabilistic assessment are demonstrated. Actual problems and necessary future developments are also referred to.