Experimental study on seismic responses of a curved bridge considering the effect of pulse and pulse duration

Abstract

To investigate the effects of pulse-like ground motions on curved bridges, this study conducted a shake table test on a 1/10 scaled curved bridge model while considering the effect of pulse and pulse duration. The experimental results revealed that the seismic responses of curved bridges under pulse-like ground motions were greater than those under normal ground motions. The amplification effect caused by pulse-like ground motions was more pronounced in better site conditions. The effect of pulse duration on the responses of curved bridges was also significant and varied with the pulse duration. Therefore, seismic design should consider not only the pulse effect but also the difference in pulse duration. Furthermore, when curved bridges are subjected to pulse-like ground motions, bents with smaller stiffness and the outer bearing are more likely to be damaged and should receive more attention in seismic design.