ABSTRACT
The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment is concerned with the safety of existing infrastructure and assessment thereof, which can be done with nonlinear finite element analysis. The 2017 updated version of the Dutch NLFEA Guidelines can be used for reinforced and prestressed beams and slabs. The purpose of the guidelines is twofold: 1) advice analysists on NLFEA of concrete structures, and 2) explain choices and model uncertainty. This paper introduces the latest version of the guideline, and shows the application for a reinforced concrete slab on top of a concrete beam grid. An overheight vehicle caused damage to the concrete cover and the reinforcement of the beams. The analysis shows the results of modeling the bridge without and with damage. The outcome of the assessment is that the structure fulfils the code requirements. This case study shows that the Dutch NLFEA Guidelines can be used for the assessment of damaged concrete bridges.
