Seismic Yield Strength of Reinforced Concrete Bridge Piers in a Saline Soil Environment

The seismic performance of reinforced concrete in a saline soil environment has attracted great attention from the scientific community. This study aims to effectively predict the seismic yield strength of RC at different moments in a saline soil environment. After an electrochemical rapid corrosion test of 12 RC bridge pier column specimens, low-cycle repeated-loading tests were conducted. The corrosion rates and axial compression ratios are the primary research parameters. The seismic yield strength of the pier column was determined using the energy method. A calculation model of the seismic yield strength of the RC pier column in a saline soil environment is developed by considering the time-dependent model of the longitudinal strength yield in the saline soil environment. The results show that for the specimens studied in this research, the seismic yield strength of the pier column increased with an increase in the axial compression ratio when the corrosion rate was constant and the axial compression ratio is within a certain range. When the axial compression ratio was constant, the seismic yield strength of the pier column decreased with an increase in the corrosion rate. The calculation results of the seismic yield strength of RC pier columns were compared with the experimental results, and there was a high consistency. This model can provide a strong reference for the seismic design of pier columns in saline soil environments.