Crack opening evolution in corroded confined reinforced concrete ties

Corrosion of reinforcement deteriorates reinforced concrete structures reducing the structural performance both in service and ultimate conditions. Dealing with service condition, a key aspect is the crack opening value due to load that is direct consequence of bond between steel and concrete. The addition of corrosion modifies further this relationship inducing over-proportional effects in terms of damage. In this paper the results of an experimental campaign on confined reinforced concrete specimen are presented. The study of the effect of crack opening evolution on structures subjected to cyclic loading and corrosion allows to find some relationship and to highlight the interrelation among number of loading cycles, corrosion, crack opening, tension stiffening and loss of bond.