Rational-RC: A Python package for probabilistic life-cycle deterioration modelling of reinforced concrete structures

Abstract

Maintaining the durability of reinforced concrete (RC) structures is crucial for sustainable infrastructure management. Rational-RC is a Python package that provides a probabilistic framework for modelling the life-cycle deterioration of RC structures. Designed with a modular, object-oriented architecture, it enables flexible integration of key deterioration processes, including membrane degradation, chloride ingress, carbonation, corrosion, and cracking within a unified limit-state reliability framework. Using site-specific field data, users can calibrate deterioration models to generate staged probabilities of failure, informing condition-based maintenance strategies that optimize costs and extend service life. The framework can be extended to interact with structural models, and scaled for simulation at both the element and network levels. Its visualization tools and extensible design make it a powerful tool for researchers and practitioners aiming to tackle the challenges of aging infrastructure with advanced computational approaches.