Joint earthquake, wave and current action on the pile group cable-stayed bridge tower foundation: An experimental study

Abstract

Sea-crossing cable-stayed bridges located in areas of active seismicity are generally subjected to earthquakes, waves, current and other dynamic loads of potential threat during their service period. The pile group foundation, which is composed of bored piles and elevated pile caps, has been applied widely for pylons to ensure the stability of cable-stayed bridge towers. Owing to its large dimensions, complexity and marked three-dimensional characteristics, it is difficult to model the precise dynamic response of the pile group pylon foundation under the joint action of various dynamic loads by means of existing theory. In this paper, an experimental study is presented for a 1/100 scale dynamic test model of a bridge tower with a grouped pile foundation. The model was designed according to elasticity-gravity similarity laws and tested using the Earthquake, Wave and Current Joint Simulation System. The structural response of the bridge tower in air and water conditions with and without incident sine waves and current was investigated. The test results may be used for engineering practice and further research.