Comparison of additional costs for several replacement strategies of randomly ageing reinforced concrete pipes

One of the uses of reinforced concrete pipes (RCPs) is the distribution of aggressive water in industrial systems, for example, in water-cooling systems of nuclear power plants. Some of them carry seawater and can deteriorate with time because of internal corrosion. Because of the low oxygen content of aggressive water, slow corrosion is expected for such applications. If the RCPs are not periodically replaced, they will eventually fail. Replacement strategies for these pipes depend on (1) the risks associated with the failure of the water distribution network, and (2) the costs associated with replacing the pipes, including the removal of existing pipes, installation of new pipes, and associated production losses. Because of the lack of statistical data regarding RCP failure, the development of a risk-based replacement strategy is not an easy task. This article demonstrates how predictive models for the evolution of the failure of RCPs and the associated consequences of failure can be used to develop risk-based replacement strategies for RCPs.