Abstract
Seismic hazards, such as bridge pounding, unseating, collapse, etc., cause significant economic losses and affect traffic and safety. Research on seismic measures, such as limiting and unseating prevention devices for the bridge, can effectively prevent damage to the bearings, such as excessive displacement, the pounding of the beam end, etc., in an earthquake. In this paper, the dynamic time-history analysis method was used to study the mechanical behaviors of the bridge structure, such as its seismic performance, structural displacement, pier bending moment, etc. We found that different combinations of seismic measures can effectively reduce the displacement at the bridge expansion joint and bearings. The joint application of an expansion device, restrainer, and unseating prevention devices shows the best limiting effect on bridge displacement and expansion joint displacement. The maximum reduction of bridge expansion joint displacement reaches 48% and is within the allowable deformation range of an expansion device in a large earthquake, and the maximum reduction of bearing displacement reaches 34%, which only slightly exceeds the shear deformation of the bearing. The expansion device, restrainer, and unseating prevention devices have smaller internal forces in this case than other cases, without damage. In contrast to the previous studies on single seismic measures of unseating restrainers, this study investigates the combination of multiple seismic measures and earthquakes of various magnitude. It reveals the catastrophe process of the bridge structure and the cooperation law of seismic measures in an earthquake.
Highlights
In recent years, many bridges have become damaged, even by pounding and unseating, due to the failure of bearings and the pounding between adjacent structures during earthquakes
Abdel [14] investigated three different configurations of a hybrid device with a rubber bumper and restrainers to prevent unseating and mitigate the pounding effect at the expansion joint of isolated multi-span bridges, and the results showed that restrainers are substantially effective at reducing the relative displacements and impact forces due to pounding at the expansion joints
This paper focuses on the seismic effectiveness of multiple seismic measures on preventing unseating, pounding, and collapse damage to a continuous girder bridge under earthquakes of various magnitudes to reveal the catastrophe process of the bridge structure and the cooperation law of seismic measures in an earthquake
Summary
Many bridges have become damaged, even by pounding and unseating, due to the failure of bearings and the pounding between adjacent structures during earthquakes. Some researchers compared the seismic performance of seismic measures in limiting the relative displacements of the bridge; the studies indicated that all the devices could control the bearing deformation to a safe limit if they were designed correctly [27,28] Another mitigation measure for the pounding of adjacent structures would be the prevention of impact incidents by providing sufficient gaps. Abdel [14] investigated three different configurations of a hybrid device with a rubber bumper and restrainers to prevent unseating and mitigate the pounding effect at the expansion joint of isolated multi-span bridges, and the results showed that restrainers are substantially effective at reducing the relative displacements and impact forces due to pounding at the expansion joints. This paper focuses on the seismic effectiveness of multiple seismic measures (such as expansion devices, restrainers, and unseating prevention devices) on preventing unseating, pounding, and collapse damage to a continuous girder bridge under earthquakes of various magnitudes to reveal the catastrophe process of the bridge structure and the cooperation law of seismic measures in an earthquake
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