A copula approach in the probabilistic evaluation of chloride ingress process for coastal concrete structures

One of the most prevalent causes of reinforced concrete (RC) structural deterioration is chloride-induced corrosion. This paper is concerned with a novel approach to assess the chloride ingress process for coastal concrete structures under consideration of environmental effects. Firstly, the chloride diffusion process model for one-dimensional (1-D) and two-dimensional (2-D) concrete and the copula theory are introduced. Secondly, the climate data from the National Meteorological Center of China are investigated. Dependencies between temperature and humidity are described with a dedicated copula. Meanwhile, the results are analyzed regarding the geographical variations along the coastline. The critical environmental factors governing the diffusion process are identified and discussed. Finally, the feature of adopting the copula in modeling the environmental characteristics is highlighted. The work could significantly improve the durability design of coastal structures in China. A copula approach is developed to capture dependencies that are difficult to quantify from a physical perspective, including their uncertainties. Comparison to traditional methods shows the advantages clearly.