Columns in reinforced concrete (RC) bridges commonly contain a lap splice of the longitudinal
reinforcement near the base of the column. It is important to ensure that the bond within this splice is of
magnitude to transfer internal forces so that the column can resist the applied lateral load. However, deterioration
mechanisms, such as alkali silica reaction (ASR) may weaken the bond between the reinforcement and
the concrete in this lap-splice region, which may subsequently lead to changes in the flexural capacity and
demand of the column, which could result in a reduction in the bridge reliability. This paper develops a finite
element (FE) model of a RC column subjected to ASR, such that the effects of ASR on column performance
and reliability can be quantified. The FE model is built using Abaqus software and the bond-slip relation between
the concrete and the reinforcing steel is modeled explicitly. The FE model and in particular the bondslip
model are calibrated using the force-displacement data obtained from the destructive testing of eight
large-scale column specimens with different levels of ASR deterioration.