• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.261-273
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• 2012

This study proposes and examines a circular composite bridge pier for seismic resistance. The axial and flexural strengths of the proposed bridge pier are provided by the longitudinal reinforcing bars and the concrete, while the transverse reinforcements used in the conventional reinforced concrete pier are replaced by the steel tube. The shear strength of this composite pier relies on the steel tube and the concrete. This system is similar to the steel jacketing method which strengthens the existing reinforced concrete bridge piers. However, no transverse shear reinforcing bar is used in the proposed composite bridge pier. A series of experimental studies is conducted to investigate the seismic resistant characteristics of the proposed circular composite pier. The effects of the longitudinal reinforcing bars, the shear span-to-diameter ratio, and the thickness of the steel tube on the performance of strength, ductility, and energy dissipation of the proposed pier are discussed. The experimental results show that the strength of the proposed circular composite bridge pier can be predicted accurately by the similar method used in the reinforced concrete piers with minor modification. From these experimental studies, it is found that the proposed circular composite bridge pier not only simplifies the construction work greatly but also provides excellent ductility and energy dissipation capacity under seismic lateral force.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.599-611
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• 2017

This paper improves seismic fragility of a typical steel-concrete composite bridge with the deck-to-pier connection joint configuration at the concrete crossbeam (CCB). Based on the quasi-static test on a typical steel-concrete composite bridge model under the SEQBRI project, the damage states for both of the critical components, the CCB and the pier, are identified. The finite element model is developed, and calibrated using the experimental data to model the damage states of the CCB and the bridge pier as observed from the experiment of the test specimen. Then the component fragility curves for both of the CCB and the pier are derived and combined to develop the system fragility curves of the bridge. The uncertainty associated with the mean system fragility has been discussed and quantified. The study reveals that the CCB is more vulnerable than the pier for certain damage states and the typical steel-concrete composite bridge with CCB exhibits desirable seismic performance.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.275-283
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• 2018

Seismic strengthening is essential for existing bridge piers which are deficient to resist the earthquake. The concrete and CFRP jackets with a bottom-anchoring method are used to strengthen railway bridge piers with low reinforcement ratio. Quasi-static tests of scaled down model piers are performed to evaluate the seismic performance of the original and strengthened bridge pier. The fracture characteristics indicate that the vulnerable position of the railway bridge pier with low reinforcement ratio during earthquake is the pier-footing region and shows flexural failure mode. The force-displacement relationships show that the two strengthening techniques using CFRP and concrete jackets can both provide a significant improvement in load-carrying capacity for railway bridge piers with low reinforcement ratio. It is clear that the bottom-anchoring method by using planted steel bars can guarantee the CFRP and concrete jackets to work jointly with original concrete piers Furthermore, it can be found that the use of CFRP jacket offers advantages over concrete jacket in improving the energy dissipation capacity under lateral cyclic loading. Therefore, the seismic strengthening techniques by the use of CFRP and concrete jackets provide alternative choices for the large numbers of existing railway bridge piers with low reinforcement ratio in China.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.285-295
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• 2018

In this paper, the bearing capacity of a non-eccentric and eccentric tubular, concrete-filled, steel bridge pier was studied through the finite element method. Firstly, to verify the validity of the numerical analysis, the finite element analysis of four steel tube columns with concrete in-fill was carried out under eccentric loading and horizontal cyclic loading. The analytical results were compared with experimental data. Secondly, the effects of the eccentricity of the vertical loading on the seismic performance of these eccentrically loaded steel tubular bridge piers were considered. According to the simulated results, with increasing eccentricity ratio, the bearing capacity on the eccentric side of a steel tubular bridge pier (with concrete in-fill) is greatly reduced, while the capacity on the opposite side is improved. Moreover, an empirical formula was proposed to describe the bearing capacity of such bridge piers under non-eccentric and eccentric load. This will provide theoretical evidence for the seismic design of the eccentrically loaded steel tubular bridge piers with concrete in-fill.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.343-355
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• 2013

Shear failure and core concrete crushing at plastic hinge region are the two main failure modes of bridge piers, which can make repair impossible and cause the collapse of bridge. To avoid the two types of failure of pier, a composite pier was proposed, which was formed by embedding high strength concrete filled steel tubular (CFT) column in reinforced concrete (RC) pier. Through cyclic loading tests, the seismic performances of the composite pier were studied. The experimental results show that the CFT column embedded in composite pier can increase the flexural strength, displacement ductility and energy dissipation capacity, and decrease the residual displacement after undergoing large deformation. The analytical analysis is performed to simulate the hysteretic behavior of the composite pier subjected to cyclic loading, and the numerical results agree well with the experimental results. Using the analytical model and time-history analysis method, seismic responses of a continuous girder bridge using composite piers is investigated, and the results show that the bridge using composite piers can resist much stronger earthquake than the bridge using RC piers.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.661-677
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• 2016

The quasi static test of the steel reinforced concrete (SRC) bridge piers and rigid frame arch bridge structure with SRC piers was conducted in the laboratory, and the seismic performance of SRC piers was compared with that of reinforced concrete (RC) bridge piers. In the test, the failure process, the failure mechanism, hysteretic curves, skeleton curves, ductility coefficient, stiffness degradation curves and the energy dissipation curves were analyzed. According to the $M-{\Phi}$ relationship of fiber section, the three-wire type theoretical skeleton curve of the lateral force and the pier top displacement was proposed, and the theoretical skeleton curves are well consistent with the experimental curves. Based on the theoretical model, the effects of the concrete strength, axial compression ratio, slenderness ratio, reinforcement ratio, and the stiffness ratio of arch to pier on the skeleton curve were analyzed.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.659-662
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• 2004

An analysis of the AF is performed for each bridge pier exposed to ship collision. From this analysis, the impact lateral resistance can be determined for each pier. The bridge pier impact resistance is selected using a probability-based analysis procedure in which the predicted AF, from the ship collision risk assessment is compared to an acceptance criterion. In this study, the acceptance criterion is allocated to each pier using allocation weights based on the previous predictions. To determine the design impact lateral resistance of bridge components such pylon and pier, the numerical analysis is performed iteratively with the analysis variable of impact resistance ratio of pylon to pier. The design impact lateral resistance can vary greatly among the components of the same bridge, depending upon the waterway geometry, available water depth, bridge geometry, and vessel traffic characteristics.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.67 no.1
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• pp.9-20
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• 2018

In this paper, a framework is proposed for dynamic analysis of train-bridge systems with a damaged pier after barge collision. In simulating the barge-pier collision, the concrete pier is considered to be nonlinear-inelastic, and the barge-bow is modeled as elastic-plastic. The changes of dynamic properties and deformation of the damaged pier, and the additional unevenness of the track induced by the change of deck profile, are analyzed. The dynamic analysis model for train-bridge coupling system with a damaged pier is established. Based on the framework, an illustrative case study is carried out with a $5{\times}32m$ simply-supported PC box-girder bridge and the ICE3 high-speed train, to investigate the dynamic response of the bridge with a damaged pier after barge collision and its influence on the running safety of high-speed train. The results show that after collision by the barge, the vibration properties of the pier and the deck profile of bridge are changed, forming an additional unevenness of the track, by which the dynamic responses of the bridge and the car-body accelerations of the train are increased, and the running safety of high-speed train is affected.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1041-1051
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• 2016

In this study, the construction of a reinforced concrete bridge pier was analyzed from durability point of view. The goal of the study is to analyze the crack iniation condition due to construction and present some recommendations for construction conditions of the reinforced concrete bridge pier. The bridge is located at the western port area of Shenzhen, where the climate is high temperature and humidity. To control the cracking of concrete, a construction simulation was carried out for a heat transfer problem as well as a thermal stress problem. A shrinkage model for heat produced due to cement hydration and a Burger constitutive model to simulate the creep effect are used. The modelling based on Femmasse(C) is verified by comparing with the testing results of a real underground abutment. For the bridge pier, the temperature and stress distribution, as well as their evolution with time are shown. To simulate the construction condition, four initial concrete temperatures ($5^{\circ}C$, $10^{\circ}C$, $15^{\circ}C$, $20^{\circ}C$) and three demoulding time tips (48h, 72h, 96h) are investigated. From the results, it is concluded that a high initial concrete temperature could result in a high extreme internal temperature, which causes the early peak temperature and the larger principle stresses. The demoulding time seems to be less important for the chosen study cases. Currently used 72 hours in the construction practice may be a reasonable choice.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.55-63
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• 2015

Prefabrication technologies are making bridge construction safer and less disruptive to the environment and traveling public, making bridge designs more constructible and, improving the quality and durability by shifting site work to a more controllable environment. Modular bridge substructures with concrete-filled steel tube (CFT) piers and composite pier caps were suggested to realize accelerated bridge construction. The precast segmental pier cap consists of a composite pier table and precast prestressed segments on the table. The pier table has embedded steel section to mitigate stress concentration at the connection by small tubes. Each bridge pier has four or six CFT columns which connect to the pier cap. Shear strength of the pier cap was obtained by extending vertical reinforcing bars from the table to the precast segment. Transverse prestressing was introduced to control tensile stresses by service loadings. Structural performance of the proposed modular system was evaluated by static tests. Design requirements of the composite pier cap were satisfied by continuous reinforcing bars and prestressing tendons. Standardized modular substructures can be effectively utilized for the fast replacement or construction of bridges.