Assessment of Reinforced Concrete Structures

This work outlines the limitations of current methods used to assess the structural integrity of reinforced concrete structures and their need for repair or strengthening. These limitations underlie the unexpected, and often catastrophic, failures repeatedly suffered by such structures under extreme events, such as strong earthquakes, and, occasionally, even under normal service conditions. The Compressive Force Path (CFP) method offers an alternative method capable of eliminating these limitations. Unlike code methods, it incorporates real, rather than assumed, material properties, and, in doing so, provides predictions that are in close agreement with the behaviour of concrete structures as established from experimental evidence and field observations. The book first presents the experimental information underlying the development of the CFP method and the manner in which it is applied to structural assessment. This is followed by applications of the method for identifying the locations and causes of failure and determining the load-carrying capacity of typical members of existing structures and test specimens that have suffered unexpected damage. By comparing predicted structural performance with real-life behaviour, the CFP method, unlike the code methods, is shown to be capable to provide reliable information which is essential for making informed decisions regarding the management of existing concrete structures.