• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.119-130
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• 2017

This paper presents a numerical investigation on the seismic behavior of isolated bridges with supplemental viscous damping. Usually very large displacements make seismic isolation an unfeasible solution due to boundary conditions, especially in case of existing bridges or high risk seismic regions. First, a suggested optimal design procedure is introduced, then seismic performance of three real bridges with different isolation systems and damping levels is investigated. Each bridge is studied in four different configurations: simply supported (SSB), isolated with 10% damping (IB), isolated with 30% damping (LRB) and isolated with optimal supplemental damping ratio (IDB). Two of the case studies are investigated under spectrum compatible far-field ground motions, while the third one is subjected to near-fault strong motions. With respect to different design strategies proposed by other authors, results of the analysis demonstrated that an isolated bridge equipped with HDLRBs and a total equivalent damping ratio of 70% represents a very effective design solution. Thanks to confirmed effective performance in terms of base shear mitigation and displacement reduction under both far field and near fault ground motions, as well as for both simply supported and continuous bridges, the suggested control system provides robustness and reliability in terms of seismic performance also resulting cost effective.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 1999.04a
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• pp.178-185
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• 1999

Minimum life-cycle cost helps to evaluate cost effectiveness of base-isolated bridges under specific condition. Life-cycle cost mainly consists of the initial construction cost and the expected damage cost. Damage cost estimation needs proper model of input ground motion failure probability evaluation method and limit states definition. We model the input ground motion as spectral density function compatible with the response spectra defined at each seismicity and site condition. Spectrum analysis and crossing theory is suitable for reseating calculation of failure probabilities in the process of cost minimization. Limit states of base-isolated bridges re defined for superstructure isolator and pier respectively The method is applied to both base-isolated bridges and conventional bridges under the same conditions to investigate cost effectiveness of base isolation in low and moderate seismic region. the results show that base-isolation of bridges are more effective in low and moderate seismic region and that the site effects on the economical efficiency may not be negligible in such a region.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.15 no.12 s.105
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• pp.1340-1346
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• 2005

In this study, based on shaking table test results on a seismically isolated bridge model, an inelastic numerical model is refined by using Bouc-Wen model representing the hysteretic behavior of isolators. Seismic responses of isolated bridges are numerically investigated varying with relative stiffness ratio(RSR), which is a ratio of the effective stiffness of isolator to the lateral stiffness of bridge pier, From the results, it is found that an adequate range of relative stiffness ratio could be defined for seismic design of isolated bridges without considering the flexibility of piers.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.662-665
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• 2004

In this paper, based on shaking table test results on a seismically isolated bridge model, an inelastic numerical model is refined by using Bouc-Wen model representing the hysteretic behavior of isolators. Seismic responses of isolated bridges are numerically investigated varying with relative stiffness ratios, which is a ratio of the effective stiffness of isolator to the lateral stiffness of bridge pier. From the results, it is found that an adequate range of relative stiffness ratio could be defined for seismic design of isolated bridges without considering the flexibility of piers.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.33-42
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• 2007

This paper describes the state-of-the art research activities on seismic isolation systems for improving the seismic capacities of the bridges in Korea. Though Korea is located in a region of low-to-moderate seismicity, the construction of seismic isolation systems has increased rapidly. The application of seismic isolation system has become popular worldwide because of its stable behavior and economical construction especially for bridge structures. Since optimal reliability level of isolated bridges can be determined as the one that provides the highest net life-cycle benefit to society, or the minimum Life-Cycle Cost (LCC), an optimal design procedure based on minimum LCC concept is more expedient for the design of seismically isolated bridges in areas of low-to-moderate seismicty. To verify the adequacy of the new design concept based on the LCC minimization, experimental studies on seismically isolated bridge are introduced as well, which include pseudo-dynamic test of scaled pier and dynamic field test of full-scale. With the application of seismic isolation systems, many kinds of dampers to improve the seismic capacity of structure are also applied not only to new bridges but also to existing bridges.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.9 no.4 s.33
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• pp.625-635
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• 1997

The base isolation technique and its benefits in reducing the transmitted earthquake energy into a structure have gained increasing recognition during the last two decades. Unfortunately, the current available design procedures, especially for base-isolated bridges, seem inadequate and too restrictive. As a result, practical design procedure still relies upon a series of deterministic time history analyses. In this study, the evaluation of the possibility of the normal mode method to predict the nonlinear seismic responses of base isolated bridges has been performed. The applicability has been examined through the numerical approach with isolator's elastic or plastic states of the base isolated bridges. Numerical results show that the 1st. mode period and the various responses are varied with the state but are conversed. And, the result show that the normal mode method is applicable to predict the seismic responses and to design the babe isolated bridge. Various analysis method to bridges with bilinearized hysteresis isolator and various pier heights are evalulated.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.26 no.1A
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• pp.173-181
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• 2006

Many isolated bridges are designed and constructed after the introduction of the seismic design. However those bridges designed in engineering fields have unnecessarily high serviceability limit and brittle failure mechanism, which do not satisfy the seismic design concept. Such design results are due to the excessive substructure stiffness of the conventional design method as well as the misunderstanding of the seismic design method. In this study an isolated bridge designed with the conventional design method is selected and the same bridge with steel bearings is modelled for the comparative seismic design. From the comparison, the seismic design procedures satisfying the required performance levels are provided for the two bridges. It is confirmed that the isolated bridge requires more complicated design procedure with trial and error methods and reanalyses but provides higher serviceability limit compared to the bridge with steel bearings. However, because the required serviceability limit can also be obtained by adjusting substructure stiffness, it is a resonable seismic design process that an isolated bridge is to be considered as an alternative design when the ductile failure mechanism is not obtained with a bridge with steel bearings.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.440-447
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• 2000

In order to evaluate the cost effectiveness of seismic isolation for bridges in low and moderate seismic region, a method of calculation minimum life-cycle cost of seismic-isolated bridges under specific acceleration level and soil condition is developed. Input ground motion is modeled as spectral density function compatible with response spectrum for combination of acceleration coefficient and site coefficient. Failure probability is calculated by spectrum analysis based on random vibration theories to simplify repetitive calculations in the minimization procedure. Ductility of piers and its effects on cost effectiveness are considered by stochastic linearization method. Cost function and cost effectiveness index are defined by taking into consideration the characteristics of seismic isolated bridges. Limit states for calculation of failure probability are defined on superstructure, isolator and pier, respectively. The results of example design and analysis show that seismic isolation is more cost-effective in low and moderate seismic region than in high seismic region.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.432-439
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• 2000

According as ground acceleration becomes to exceed gravity acceleration recently, design is impossible or economical efficiency is poor in existing seismic design method. So increase of seismic isolated bridges is currently in progress. However, because base isolation design method is developed in high seismic regions. it may not be compatible in Korea. Therefore, this research has objective to evaluate ductility of pier and response modification factor according to the ductility of pier in seismic isolated bridges and to adapt to seismic characteristics in Korea. For this purpose, nonlinear analysis is accomplished with so many time histories derived from spectral density function compatible with response spectrum described in the design code and base isolation system modeled linear system, bi-linear system, and friction system. Through application of the proposed method, we had result that it may be compatible that response modification factor for the seismic isolated bridges is smaller than half of that for the conventional bridges when natural period of structures exceeds proper level.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.124-135
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• 2011

The capacity of bearings installed at abutments and piers for continuous bridges is usually determined by the magnitude of the maximum vertical reaction at each support and the capacity of bearings placed at piers is higher than that at abutments. In this study, the possibility of the improved seismic performance of base-isolated continuous skew bridges was investigated by analysing the variation of the seismic behavior of them according to three arrangements of bearings. Based on the conventional arrangement of bearings(Case A), three arrangements of bearings such as Case A, Case B and Case C were selected considering the variation of the horizontal stiffness of the lead rubber bearing(LRB) installed at the pier. The seismic behavior of the total 36 skew bridges was investigated by conducting the response spectrum analysis using the hybrid response spectrum considered the effect of LRB's damping. Results of analyses show that a more desirable seismic behavior of base-isolated continuous skew bridges can be obtained by reducing the magnitude of the horizontal stiffness of LRB placed at the pier to similar to or less than that of LRB installed at abutments. The variation of LRB's stiffness at the pier brings about period elongation and the change of mode shapes of base-isolated skew bridges and results in the reduction of the total base shear, the maximum base shear at the pier and the girder stresses. Although positive effects on the seismic behavior of base-isolated skew bridges caused by the change of arrangement of bearings decreased slighty with an increase in the flexibility of the substructure, the proposed arrangements of bearings bring about the improved seismic performance of base-isolated continuous skew plate girder bridges with less than 10m height of piers.