Study of the Impact Force of a Continuous Rigid Frame Bridge Under Vessel Collision

Abstract

The safety of bridges spanning navigable waterways is threatened by potential vessel collisions. Assessing the impact force serves as a crucial parameter in guiding bridge design for collision resistance. However, existing standards such as the AASHTO, European codes, and Chinese regulations yield significantly divergent peak impact force calculations due to the multitude of influencing factors. Therefore, this study employs a high-fidelity finite element approach and a realistic bridge model to compute the peak impact force. The model encompasses various real vessel configurations, including single and flotilla arrangements, while accounting for differences in tonnage and velocity. Based on the numerical results, an alternative method was proposed to calculate the peak impact force, and the proposed method is accurate in predicting the peak impact force of a bridge under a vessel collision. The outcomes of this study contribute to the design strategies for a bridge against both single and flotilla vessel collisions.