The Progreso pier: brief story of performance and failure mechanism of its arches

Authors: P. Castro-Borges, A. Torres-Acosta, M.J. Fabela-Gallegos, F. Reyes, H. Cuadros-Abad
Paper category: conference
Book title: Concrete Durability and Service Life Planning – ConcreteLife’09
Editor(s): K. Kovler
Print ISBN: 978-2-35158-074-5
e-ISBN: 978-2-35158-085-1
Publisher: RILEM Publications SARL
Publication year: 2009
Pages: 164 – 172
Total Pages: 9
Language: English

Abstract: A 66-year old concrete pier, constructed with type 304 stainless steel (SS) reinforcing bars (rebars) to control shrinkage, and exposed to a harsh tropical marine environment (>C-5, ISO), has shown good performance during its service life. Several characteristics and circumstances have made this pier to be considered as a good example of a High Performance Concrete Structure. Besides a good design, the construction process involved the use of local and foreign materials as well as a good strategy to prepare each of the elements through correct concrete mixes that were placed with the best quality processes at that time.
The main objective of this paper is the description and discussion of the arches failure mechanism as well as the repair method to maintain the pier in service nowadays. The deterioration symptoms are mainly related with the actual loads that are about ten times higher than the ones applied during the beginning of the pier service life. According to this, some strategies to extend the pier service life are also proposed.

Online publication: 2012-05-16
Publication Type: full_text
Public price (Euros): 0.00