Climate change impact on seismic vulnerability of aging highway bridges

ASCE-ASME Journal of Risk and Uncertainty in Engineering Systems, Part A: Civil Engineering

A. Bahurudeen , N.R Chirdeep, & Shivang Shekhar

2023-10-12

The lateral load–carrying capacity of highway bridges is adversely affected by corrosion deterioration of reinforced concrete (RC) bridge piers during earthquakes. Recent studies reveal that increased global warming due to climate change causes changes in temperature and humidity that further exacerbate the corrosion deterioration of RC bridge piers. This climate change–induced corrosion deterioration may further impair the performance of bridges when located in regions of moderate to high seismic zones. Consequently, this study provides a probabilistic framework for considering the joint impact of corrosion deterioration, earthquakes, and climate change on the lifetime vulnerability of highway bridges. The framework is demonstrated using a case study of a nonseismically designed highway bridge located close to marine sources within seismic active region of Gujarat, India. An improved corrosion