Abstract
There have only been a limited number of analyses of soil–steel bridges under seismic and anthropogenic (rockburst) excitations. Rockbursts are phenomena similar to low-intensity natural earthquakes. They can be observed in Poland (Upper and Lower Silesia) as well as in many parts of the world where coal and gas are mined. The influence of rockbursts and natural earthquakes on soil–steel bridges should be investigated because the ground motions caused by these two kinds of excitations differ. In the present paper, a non-linear analysis of a soil–steel bridge was carried out. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) geofoam blocks were used in a numerical model of the soil–steel bridge to buffer the seismic wave induced by a rockburst (coming from a coal mine) as well as a natural earthquake (El Centro record). The analyzed soil–steel bridge had two closed pipe arches in its cross-section. The span of the shells was 4.40 m and the height of the shells was 2.80 m. The numerical analysis was conducted using the DIANA program based on the finite element method (FEM). The paper presents the FEM results of a 3D numerical study of a soil–steel bridge both with and without the application of the EPS geofoam under seismic excitations. The obtained results can be interesting to bridge engineers and scientists dealing with the design and analysis of bridges situated in seismic and mining areas.
Highlights
In road and bridge construction, there are many structures closely interacting with the soil, e.g., bridgeheads, concrete road culverts, retaining walls, integrated bridges, and soil–steel bridges (Figure 1).It is very important that the interaction between the soil and the structure is properly maintained in those structures
This paper presents the influence of the use of Expanded polystyrene (EPS) on the behavior of the soil–steel bridge under anthropogenic (a) and earthquake (Figures 3 and 4)
They were observed in model IIa and IIb (El Centro), where the EPS was situated over the corrugated steel plate (CSP) shell
Summary
In road and bridge construction, there are many structures closely interacting with the soil, e.g., bridgeheads, concrete road culverts, retaining walls, integrated bridges, and soil–steel bridges (Figure 1). EPS is being used more and more in roads and bridges, being a super-light material to replace part of the soil and decreasing the ground pressure on the structures. Abuhajtar et al [21] and Maleska and Beben [22] conducted numerical analyses of soil–steel bridges under seismic and anthropogenic (rockburst) excitations, respectively. The existing analyses on on thethe subject of the of EPS existing experimental experimentalstudies studiesand andnumerical numerical analyses subject of application the application of to, demonstrated the great usefulness of this material for soil–steel bridges. The main main aim aim of of the thepresent presentpaper paperisistotodetermine determine impact of EPS blocks on thethe impact of of thethe useuse of EPS blocks on the the behavior of soil–steel bridges under seismic excitations: Rockbursts (a) earthquakes and earthquakes (b). II, the EPS blocks were extended over the side edge of the CSP shell by 3.0 m
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