Cyclic response of RC continuous span bridges with irregular configuration in longitudinal direction

Cyclic response of a class of reinforced concrete bridges with different degrees of irregularity in longitudinal direction has been investigated. Eighteen bridge configurations have been identified from regular to the so-called highly irregular models. The geometric irregularity in this class of bridges is assumed to vary with the height of the piers. Using non-linear fibre-based analytical models, the cyclic response curves have been generated for theindividual piers of each of these 18 bridge models. Discussions have been made about the imposition of the displacement ductility demand of the piers versus the bridge regularity. Comparison of the cyclic response curves shows that the most vulnerable bridges are the irregular ones, and a high level of damage and ductility demand is expected for the short piers of this class of bridges.     

Seismic vulnerability assessment of a Californian multi-frame curved concrete box girder viaduct using fragility curves

Seismic response of multi-frame curved viaducts has been proved to be very complex due to typically inherent irregularities identified in this class of bridge structures such as deck in-plane curvature, altitudinal irregularity and deck discontinuity. The discontinuity provided by the expansion joint has made this class of bridges prone to catastrophic damages caused by multiple collisions between adjacent frames during both torsional and translational modes of responses as well as deck unseating at the expansion joints. This paper presents the seismic response of a Californian multi-frame curved concrete box girder viaduct, considering four different radii of curvature and five altitudinal coefficients, using fragility curves. Fragility curves are developed by considering different sources of uncertainties related to earthquakes, structural geometries and material properties. The full nonlinear time-history analyses are performed utilising 3-D numerical bridge models generated in OpenSees finite element platform. The results show that bridge vulnerability increases with increasing irregularity in bridge plan and elevation. It is observed that bridge components and system fragility show different sensitivity to each type and level of irregularity for each damage state. In addition, the obtained results can be used to aid seismic retrofit prioritisation, financial loss estimation, pre-earthquake planning and design improvement processes.     

高速铁路简支箱梁桥的概率地震需求模型及易损性分析

基于已建成高速铁路桥结构类型统计数据,以典型预应力混凝土简支箱梁桥为对象进行易损性研究。考虑5个不确定性参数,基于拉丁超立方抽样的反复试验法建立桥梁样本。采用"装箱法"选择地震动记录,与桥梁样本配对后进行非线性时程分析得到结构响应。定义各构件的损伤状态,通过对构件需求能力比进行二次回归建立桥梁各构件的概率地震需求模型,并生成构件易损性曲线,运用二阶单一边界法生成全桥易损性曲线。结果表明:二次回归分析产生的概率需求模型比线性回归方法更可靠;在地震作用下,此类桥梁构件中的墩柱、活动支座较易损伤,二阶单一边界法能较好地评估全桥系统易损性,在应用上二阶单一边界法比一阶上下边界法简洁方便。     

Fragility analysis of track-on steel-plate-girder railway bridges in Korea

More than 40% of the bridges in conventional Korean railway lines are track-on steel-plate-girder (TOSPG) bridges. They are characterized by a superstructure consisting of railway tracks sitting directly on steel plate girders without any ballast system. Most of these bridges have been designed with little or no consideration given to seismic loading. In this paper, seismic fragility curves of TOSPG bridges in Korea are developed. Fragility curves are developed first for the components, by using the probabilistic seismic demand model. The developed component fragility curves show that the bearings are the most vulnerable components of the TOSPG bridges against seismic loading. On the other hand, the piers are much less vulnerable, although they contain no reinforcing bars. This is because the superstructure mass is very light, and therefore horizontal loading transferred from the superstructure to the piers is minimal. A generic damage measure is introduced for measuring the system-level damage of structures out of the component-level damages. The system fragility curves are then developed, using the generic damage measure. Finally, representation of seismic risk in terms of expected seismic losses is demonstrated. This demonstration shows how the fragility analysis is utilized for risk assessment and support in decision-making.     

Investigation of MRS and SMA Dampers Effects on Bridge Seismic Resistance Employing Analytical Models

This study dealt with investigating the seismic performance of the smart and shape memory alloy (SMA) and magnets plus rubber-spring (MRS) dampers and their effects on the seismic resistance of multiple-span simply supported bridges. The rubber springs in the MRS dampers were pre-compressed. For this aim, a set of experimental works was performed together with developing nonlinear analytical models to investigate dynamic responses of the bridges subjected to earthquakes. Fragility analysis and probabilistic assessment were conducted to assess the seismic performance for the overall bridge system. Fragility curves were then generated for each model and were compared with those of as-built. Results showed dampers could increase the seismic capacity of bridges. Furthermore, from system fragility curves, use of damper models reduced the seismic vulnerability in comparison to the as-built bridge model. Although the SMA damper showed the best seismic performance, the MRS damper was the most appropriate one for the bridge in that the combination of magnetic friction and pre-compressed rubber springs was cheaper than the shape memory alloy, and had the similar capability of the damper.     

Fragility of skewed bridges under orthogonal seismic ground motions

The paper evaluates seismic fragility characteristics of skewed bridges under simultaneous action of orthogonal ground motion components. The effect of skew angle on bridge seismic fragility characteristics is investigated through nonlinear time-history analyses of Painter Street Overpass, a 38.5° skewed bridge located in Rio Dell, CA, and six representative bridges with skew angles varying between 0° and 50°. Ground motion incident angle is varied from 0° to 180° to investigate the effect of the direction of ground motion incidence on bridge seismic performance. Bridge seismic response is used to generate fragility curves and contours plots that quantify the sensitivity of bridge fragility characteristics on skew angle and incident angle. For any value of incident angle, bridge seismic vulnerability increases with an increase in skew angle; however, no such general trend is found to describe the effect of incident angle on bridge fragility characteristics. Results show that the variation of maximum rotation of bridge columns for an earthquake does not follow any particular trend with the change in skew angle and incident angle. Analysis-based fragility curves are further compared with empirical fragility curves generated using real-life seismic damage data of skewed bridges and a reasonable agreement is observed between these two.     

Nonlinear Static Procedure for Seismic Vulnerability Assessment of Bridges

Abstract:   The impact of an earthquake event on the performance of a highway transportation network depends on the extent of damage sustained by its individual components, particularly bridges. Seismic damageability of bridges expressed in the form of fragility curves can easily be incorporated into the scheme of risk analysis of a highway network under the seismic hazard. In this context, this article focuses on a nonlinear static method of developing fragility curves for a typical type of concrete bridge in California. The method makes use of the capacity spectrum method (CSM) for identification of spectral displacement, which is converted to rotations at bridge column ends. To check the reliability of this current analytical procedure, developed fragility curves are compared with those obtained by nonlinear time history analysis. Results indicate that analytically developed fragility curves obtained from nonlinear static and time history analyses are consistent.     

Seismic risk assessment of reinforced concrete bridges in flood-prone regions

This article presents a conditional seismic risk evaluation framework of bridges located in seismically active flood-prone regions. Flood-induced bridge scour causes loss of lateral support at bridge foundations and thus the effect of seismic hazard on bridge performance gets amplified. Two example reinforced concrete bridges located in Sacramento County in California are considered. The regional multihazard scenario is characterised by combining scour resulted from regional flood events of different intensities with a suite of earthquake ground motions that represents regional seismicity. Uncertainties in the hazard models are discussed and their influences on bridge performance are investigated. A separate set of analysis is performed to evaluate the bridge performance only under earthquake ground motions. Seismic fragility curves and risk curves for the example bridges are generated. Result shows higher seismic risk of bridges when the impact of regional flood hazard on bridges is considered in the analysis framework. This suggests the use of a combined seismic and flood hazard model for reliable seismic risk evaluation of bridges located in flood-prone regions.     

Seismic vulnerability assessment of wall pier supported highway bridges using nonlinear pushover analyses

Pushover analyses were conducted to assess the seismic vulnerability of wall pier supported highway bridges on southern Illinois priority emergency routes. Three-dimensional finite element models were developed to reflect typical hammerhead and regular wall pier bridges from a random sample of the bridge inventory. The models incorporated expected nonlinear structural and material behavior of all the bridge components—superstructure, expansion joints, approach embankments and/or abutments, bearings, wall piers, footings and/or pile caps, and pile and/or mat foundations (plus soil effects)—as well as defining failure measures for each component. Both transverse and longitudinal pushover analyses were conducted on ninety wall pier bridge models reflecting the sample population variation in bridge characteristics such as wall pier type, number of piers, skew, type of foundation, concrete reinforcement ratio, bearing type, and wall height. It was found that the population of wall pier bridges studied was generally vulnerable to wall bearing and abutment bearing failures, wall pier ductility failures, and footing shear and/or bending failures, with bridge skew leading to a coupling of the failure mechanisms from the two pushover directions.     

地震作用下钢筋混凝土桥梁结构易损性分析

针对缺乏桥梁结构地震破坏数据的地区 ,考虑地震地面运动、局部工程场地条件和桥梁本身参数的不确定性 ,给出了一种地震作用下钢筋混凝土结构易损性曲线的系统性分析方法 ,对美国中东部受NewMadrid地震带影响的高速公路系统混凝土连续桥梁结构易损性进行分析 ,并给出了桥梁结构的易损性曲线 ,表明本文方法对该类地区桥梁结构的易损性分析具有适用性。     

Seismic fragility estimates for corroding reinforced concrete bridges

Seismic fragility of reinforced concrete (RC) bridges is defined as the conditional probability that the seismic demand exceeds the corresponding capacity, specified for a certain performance level, for given seismic intensity measures. However, the structural properties of RC bridges change over time due to the onset of corrosion in the reinforcing steel. Therefore, seismic fragility of RC bridges changes during a bridge lifetime. This paper proposes a method to estimate the seismic fragility of corroding RC bridges. Structural capacities are defined using probabilistic models for deformation and shear capacities of RC columns. Probabilistic models are also used to estimate the corresponding demands for given seismic intensity measures. The capacity and demand models are then combined with probabilistic models for chloride-induced corrosion and time-dependent corrosion rate to model the dependency on time of the seismic fragility of RC bridges. In particular, the loss of reinforcing steel is modelled as a function of the thickness of the cover concrete for each reinforcing bar in the RC columns. The stiffness degradation in the cover concrete over time due to corrosion-induced cracking is also considered in the fragility estimates. Seismic fragility estimates are then formulated at the column, bent, and bridge levels. The fragility formulations properly incorporate the uncertainties in the capacity and demand models, and the inexactness (or model error) in modelling the material deterioration. The proposed method accounts for the variation of structural capacity and seismic demand over time due to the effects of corrosion in the reinforcing steel. As an application, seismic fragility estimates are developed for a corroding RC bridge with 11 two-column bents over a 100-year period.     

Direct displacement-based assessment with nonlinear soil–structure interaction for multi-span reinforced concrete bridges

A practical and readily implementable seismic assessment procedure for multi-span reinforced concrete bridges is introduced in this paper. The procedure is based on an existing direct displacement-based assessment (DDBA) approach, and accounts for nonlinear dynamic soil–structure interaction (NLSSI) effects. Several simplified bridge structures lying on shallow foundations have been used as application examples. The validation has been done by comparing DDBA+NLSSI with the results of finite-element nonlinear time-history simulations by means of incremental dynamic analysis. Moreover, the influence of NLSSI on the assessment procedure has been evaluated by considering the same bridges with fixed base and with NLSSI effects. In spite of its simplicity that presently prevents its use for complex bridge structures, the proposed procedure is found to provide fast and reliable results, useful to give a first-level screening on a large set of bridges for highlighting the most critical situations, as well as to carry out fast parametric analyses to produce fragility curves in the framework of performance-based vulnerability/risk assessment.     

Fragility analysis of bridges due to overweight traffic load

In the U.S. overloading represents the third cause of bridge failures just after hydraulic events and collisions. Large data assembled by Weigh-In-Motion (WIM) systems can be used to obtain improved region-specific or network-specific characterization of vehicle loads on highway bridges for a more accurate evaluation of the safety of critical bridges and the failure consequences to the concerned communities. To achieve this goal it is important to develop tools that allow engineers to estimate the reliability of various types of bridges subjected to realistic ranges of heavy truck load intensities as encountered on highway networks. The objective of this paper is to describe an approach that combines field data and numerical simulations to perform the fragility analysis of bridges due to different percentages of overweight loads and truck traffic. Numerical examples are provided by analyzing typical bridges using field truck data collected at WIM sites in upstate New York. The results of the analysis show that the fragility curves for fatigue are function of the percentage of overweight trucks in New York as a second order polynomial, while the fragility curves of bridges for overstress can be modeled with a copula using both normal distributions for the overweight percentages and Average Daily Truck Traffic.     

滑动摩擦支座隔震桥梁地震反应分析

多滑面摩擦隔震支座具有刚度和阻尼的自适应性,在基于性能的桥梁抗震设计中有广泛的应用前景。本文以某近海连续梁桥为工程背景,考虑海洋软土条件,应用p-y法模拟桩-土相互作用,通过单摩擦摆（FPS）串联组成多滑动面摩擦摆支座（MFPS）模型,并建立全桥有限元模型。采用反应谱法和快速非线性分析（FNA）两种方法,对设置单滑面摩擦摆支座和多滑面摩擦摆支座的两种不同支座的隔震桥梁体系进行地震响应分析。对比分析两种方法得到的两种隔震桥梁结构的支座滞回性能和墩底剪力等的地震响应规律。研究结果表明,两种支座均具有较好的隔震效果,采用MFPS支座的桥墩的地震响应比FPS支座有所减小,且具有较大位移能力。     

非一致氯离子侵蚀下近海桥梁时变地震易损性研究

近海桥梁往往处于氯离子空间分布不均匀的复杂环境,在服役过程中往往会遭受非一致氯离子侵蚀,导致材料及结构性能不断退化,降低桥梁抵御地震的能力。为研究非一致氯离子侵蚀下桥梁地震损伤风险变化规律,文章以氯离子扩散规律及钢筋锈蚀机理为基础,基于Duracrete模型及以往试验结果,确定不同环境参数及锈蚀参数的概率分布类型及统计特征,建立钢筋及混凝土材料退化规律。结合地震易损性分析理论,建立非一致氯离子侵蚀环境下桥梁时变地震易损性评估流程。随后,以一座多跨连续梁桥为例,分析退化桥梁抗震能力变化特征,研究不同构件的地震损伤时变规律。研究结果表明,氯离子侵蚀下的桥墩截面抗弯承载力和曲率延性均表现出明显的退化,并且曲率延性退化程度高于抗弯承载力。非一致氯离子侵蚀会导致桥墩损伤分布发生演变,桥墩易损位置可能从墩顶、墩底转移至低水位处。随着服役时间增加,桥墩损伤概率明显增大,而支座、挡块及桥台的损伤概率略有降低。     

高墩连续梁桥减震设计研究

采用常规抗震设计方法设计的高墩连续梁桥,无论是滑动支座还是固定支座下的桥墩,在地震作用下的墩底内力和墩顶位移均较大。针对高墩连续梁桥这一特点,本文以某大型跨江桥梁的引桥工程作为分析实例,将目前在建筑结构中研究比较成熟的多种减、隔震技术应用于高墩连续梁桥,对其减震效果进行了探讨。分析结果表明,各减、隔震设计方案均有各自的优势及局限性,需根据桥梁结构的具体要求来选择适当的抗震、减震设计方案。     

武汉市八一路延长线光谷大桥主桥设计

光谷大桥主桥跨越武汉市东湖风景区庙湖水域,是武汉市八一路延长线控制工程。主桥主梁采用了等高度连续钢箱梁方案,跨度布置为(5×60)m,桥墩采用钢制异形框架结构,承台采用整体式圆端型承台,基础采用群桩基础。介绍光谷大桥主桥的设计思路、构造特点、铺装、防腐涂装要求以及架设方法。此类型的连续钢箱梁桥以及钢桥墩具有可工厂化制作、吊装重量轻、施工时间短、对交通影响小等优越性,适应于工期要求紧、景观效果要求特殊的市政桥梁。设计方法对类似桥梁的设计有一定的借鉴意义。     

Analytical modeling of rocking elements

The use of elements connected through compression at their contact surfaces, without tensile capacity, which allow rocking in their transverse direction, was attempted in the construction of bridge piers, masonry walls and frame structures. Columns or bridge piers can be designed to rock or overturn with minimal lateral resistance. However, as shown in this paper, due to the effects of stresses at the contact surfaces, including cracking, yielding and crushing, the lateral resistance varies substantially before rocking and before the columns overturn. Moreover, when the elements are confined between rigid surfaces, or when pre-stressing forces are applied to the connections, the lateral resistance varies substantially. Current models discretized using micro-models, or finite elements, are computationally inefficient for large structural systems, such as bridges or buildings. This paper attempts to model the strength and stiffness variation before rocking, using a macroscopic approach. The stiffness and flexibility formulations developed using virtual work concepts include flexural and shear effects, and can be implemented in many off-the-shelf analytical platforms. The analytical formulations are compared in this paper to the results of multi-purpose finite element models (FEM) for squat and slender columns.     

Seismic fragility analysis of low-rise unreinforced masonry structures

Unreinforced masonry (URM) is one of the most common structural types for low-rise buildings in the United States. Its dynamic behavior is highly nonlinear, and generally shows high vulnerability to seismic loading. Despite the need for seismic risk assessment of this class of structures, the fragility curves for URM buildings based on analytical models are scarce in the field of earthquake engineering. This study performs seismic fragility analysis of a URM low-rise building. Fragility curves are developed for a two-story URM building designed to represent a typical essential facility (i.e., a firehouse) in the central and southern US (CSUS) region. A structural modeling method is proposed such that it can be effectively used for fragility analysis without significant increase in computational time, and maintains an acceptable level of accuracy in representing the nonlinear behavior of the structures. A set of fragility curves are developed and include different configurations of the out-of-plane walls and their associated stiffness. The fragility analysis shows that the seismic performance of URM buildings is well below the desirable building seismic performance level recommended by current seismic codes, indicating high vulnerability of URM buildings within the CSUS region. It is also shown that the out-of-plane wall stiffness should not be ignored in the risk assessment of URM buildings because the overall seismic performance of URM buildings is rather sensitive to the out-of-plane wall stiffness. The analytical fragility curves developed are compared with those of HAZUS. The comparison shows that the analytical fragility curves developed have lower variation in the seismic response than those of HAZUS. Several reasons for the discrepancy are discussed. The model-based analytical fragility curves developed in this study can increase the accuracy and effectiveness of seismic risk assessment of essential facilities of the CSUS region. Moreover, the structural modeling method introduced in this study can be effectively used for development of the fragility curves of URM buildings.