Seismic loss and resilience modeling of bridges in soft soils: towards the design of sustainable transportation infrastructure facilities

Abstract

ABSTRACT Local site characterization and regional tectonic environment are crucial when designing earthquake-resistant bridges. Insufficient understanding of these factors can lead to significant seismic damages and low resilience of bridge components. In this study, the seismic loss and resilience of bridges located in soft soil are examined based on proposed fragility functions at both the individual element and system levels. The effects of aging and construction quality are also taken into account to evaluate the seismic performance of bridges. The findings of this study revealed that bridges in soil class D are the most vulnerable in all seismic and structural integrity scenarios. Bridges with inadequate seismic design may not have the necessary flexibility to absorb and dissipate seismic energy. The findings of this study can also contribute to evaluating transportation network functionality and decision-making procedures within a designated framework for disaggregation in any earthquake scenario