Probabilistic modelling of material properties based on structural design and testing standards and its impact on the assessment of structural service life

Abstract

The reliability of engineering structures and infrastructure is a critical requirement to ensure a continuous functionality throughout their expected service life. The lifespan extension of concrete structures—especially those belonging to critical infrastructure—is vital to the sustainability and resilience of the whole built environment. This investigation explores the potential to extend the service lifetime of concrete structures by considering the role of modern design codes and conformity standards on concrete production in combination with reliability-based safety concepts applied to the resistance side. The study demonstrates how evaluation criteria derived from empirical concrete samples influence the service life of structures and, in consequence, the safety format established in international codes. The results suggest that by considering measures of concrete variability—as the coefficients of variation—and integrating them into a quality control system, hidden safety margins can be identified and, ultimately, activated to extend the service lifetime of structures. Therefore, this investigation contributes to the sustainable development of infrastructure ensuring that future demands on infrastructure can be met while maintaining high safety standards.