Strengthening method against Overturn of Plain Concrete Gravity Pier for Open-Steel-Plate-Girder Railway Bridges

철도판형교 무근콘크리트 교각의 전도 보강기법

Open-Steel-Plate-Girder railway bridges, in general, have plain concrete gravity pier without piles at foundations. Such piers are vulnerable to be overturned against braking forces and ground shakings during an earthquake. Thus, this study suggests a strengthening method using earth anchors to improve the resistance of plain concrete gravity piers to the overturn of themselves. Also, a filed test was performed for the as-built and the strengthened pier and the test results were compared to assess the strengthening effect. The earth anchors increased the ultimated capacity for the pier's overturn. Finally, a FE analysis was conducted using nonlinear elements for soil to understand the distribution of the soil stresses for the as-built and the strengthened pier.