Lateral Capacity and Repair of Corrosion-Damaged Pile Bents - Part 2 - Numeric Modeling for Strength Restoration

Pile bents are simple, relatively inexpensive piers where typically four or more piles are driven in a line and tied together with a pile cap/beam. For overwater bridges, the bending moment in piles caused by lateral loads and the unsupported pile length often controls the design. Corrosion damage of piles in the splash zone has been shown to drastically reduce lateral capacity and ductility. This reduction in pile bending resistance can go undetected under day-to day service loads until an extreme lateral-load event occurs. This is the second of three papers that highlight the effects of corrosion damage on bridge pile bents. The first identified the magnitude of lateral capacity loss from corrosion. This paper outlines numerical modeling efforts aimed at accurately assessing the degree of capacity loss from corrosion damage and recommends suitable carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) repair schemes. The final paper covers the verification testing of a severely corroded pile bent repaired with CFRP.