• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.419-429
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• 2018

The seismic vulnerability analysis of multi-span bridges can be based on the response of the piers, provided that deck, bearings and foundations remain elastic. The lateral response of an RC bridge pier can be affected by different mechanisms (i.e., flexure, shear, lap-splice or buckling of the longitudinal reinforcement bars, second order effects). In the literature, simplified formulations are available for mechanisms different from the flexure. On the other hand, the flexural response is usually calculated with a numerically-based Moment-Curvature diagram of the base section and equivalent plastic hinge length. The goal of this paper is to propose a simplified analytical solution to obtain the Moment-Curvature relationship for hollow circular RC sections. This based on calibrated polynomials, fitted against a database comprising 720 numerical Moment-Curvature analyses. The section capacity curve is defined through the position of 6 characteristic points and they are based on four input parameters: void ratio of the hollow section, axial force ratio, longitudinal reinforcement ratio, transversal reinforcement ratio. A case study RC bridge pier is assessed with the proposed solution and the results are compared to a refined numerical FEM analysis, showing good match.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.107-118
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• 1999

10 RC bridge piers have been made on a 1/3.4 scale model, and six piers of them were retrofitted with glassfiber. The have been tested in the quasi-static cyclic load so as to investigate their seismic enhancement before and after retrofitting with glassfibers. The objective of this experimental study is to investigate how to strength the ductility of reinforced concrete bridge piers which have been nonseismically designed and constructed in Korea before 1992. Important test parameters are axial load, load pattern, retrofit type. Glassfiber sheets were used for retrofitting in the plastic hinge region of concrete piers. The nonlinear behavior of bridge columns have been evaluated through their yield and ultimate strength, energy dissipation, displacement ductility and load-deflection characteristics under quasi-static cyclic loads. It can be concluded from the test that concrete piers strengthened with glassfibers have been enhanced for their ductile behavior by approximate 50%.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.21-31
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• 2016

This study investigates the seismic performance of new hollow reinforced concrete (RC) bridge piers with triangular reinforcement details. The developed triangular reinforcement details are economically feasible and rational, and facilitate shorter construction periods. We tested a model of new hollow RC bridge piers with triangular reinforcement details under a constant axial load and a quasi-static, cyclically reversed horizontal load. We used a computer program, Reinforced Concrete Analysis in Higher Evaluation System Technology (RCAHEST), for analysis of RC structures. The used numerical method gives a realistic prediction of seismic performance throughout the loading cycles for several hollow pier specimens investigated. As a result, developed triangular reinforcement details for material quantity reduction was equal to existing reinforcement details in terms of required performance.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.299-302
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• 2005

This study deals with the quasi-static tests on steel reinforced concrete composite columns with single embedded steel or multiple members. For the design of bridge piers, the composite section needs to have low steel ratio for cost savings because the dimension of the pier section is usually large. There is lack of design guidelines for these composite columns with low steel ratio, but the design provisions for the normal reinforced concrete column can be used for the design because of the low steel ratio. It is necessary to provide the design provisions in terms of the strength limit state and seismic performance by the detail requirements on the longitudinal steel and the transverse steel. The test parameters in this study were determined considering the current design provisions on RC columns. Through the quasi-static tests, the seismic performance of the composite columns were discussed.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.271-280
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• 2018

This paper presents a framework for developing aftershock fragility curves for reinforced concrete bridges initially damaged by mainshocks. The presented aftershock fragility is a damage-dependent fragility function, which is conditioned on an initial damage state resulting from mainshocks. The presented framework can capture the cumulative damage of as-built bridges due to mainshock-aftershock sequences as well as the reduced vulnerability of bridges repaired with CFRP pier jackets. To achieve this goal, the numerical model of column jackets is firstly presented and then validated using existing experimental data available in literature. A four-span concrete box-girder bridge is selected as a case study to examine the application of the presented framework. The aftershock fragility curves are derived using response data from back-to-back nonlinear dynamic analyses under mainshock-aftershock sequences. The aftershock fragility curves for as-built bridge columns are firstly compared with different levels of initial damage state, and then the post-repair effect of FRP pier jacket is examined through the comparison of aftershock fragility curves for as-built and repaired piers.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.429-446
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• 2006

Experimental investigation was conducted to evaluate the seismic ductility of earthquake-experienced concrete columns with an aspect ratio of 2.5. Eight circular concrete columns with a diameter of 600 mm were constructed with three test parameters: confinement ratio, lap-splice of longitudinal bars, and retrofitting with Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) materials. The objective of this research is to examine the seismic performance of RC bridge piers subjected to a Quasi static test (QST), which were preliminary tested under a series of artificial earthquake motions referred to as a Pseudo dynamic test (PDT). The seismic enhancement effect of FRP wrap was also investigated on these RC bridge piers. Six specimens were loaded to induce probable damage by four series of artificial earthquakes, which were developed to be compatible with earthquakes in the Korean peninsula by the Korea Highway Corporation (KHC). Directly after the PDT, six earthquake-experienced columns were subjected to inelastic cyclic loading under a constant axial load of $0.1{f_c}^{\prime}A_g$. Two other reference specimens without the PDT were also subjected to similar quasi-static loads. Test results showed that specimens pre-damaged by moderate artificial earthquakes generally demonstrated good residual seismic performance, which was similar to the corresponding reference specimen. Moreover, RC bridge specimens retrofitted with wrapping fiber composites in the potential plastic hinge region exhibited enhanced flexural ductility.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2005.03a
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• pp.284-291
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• 2005

A RC column-bent pier represents one of the most popular piers used in highway bridges. Seismic performance of reinforced concrete (RC) column-bent piers under bidirectional seismic loadings was experimentally investigated. Six column bent-piers were constructed with two circular supporting columns which were made in 400mm diameter and 2,000mm height. Test parameters are different transverse reinforcement and loading pattern. These piers were tested under lateral load reversals with the axial load of $0.1f_{ck}A_g$. Three specimens were subjected to bidirectional lateral load cycles which consisted of two main longitudinal loads and two sub transverse loads in one load cycle. Other three specimens were loaded in the opposite way. Test results indicated that lateral strength and ductility of the latter three specimens were generally bigger than those of the former three specimens. Plastic hinges were formed with the spall of cover concrete and the fracture of the longitudinal reinforcing steels in the bottom plastic hinge of two supporting columns for the former three specimens. Similar behavior was observed in the top and bottom parts of two supporting columns for the latter three specimens.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.451-458
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• 2008

The near-fault ground motion (NFGM) is characterized by a single long period velocity pulse of large magnitude. NFGM's have been observed in recent strong earthquakes, Izmit Turkey (1999), Kobe Japan (1995), Northridge USA (1994), etc. These strong earthquakes have caused considerable damage to infrastructures because the epicenter was close to the urban area, called as NFGM. Extensive research for the near-fault ground motion (NFGM) have been carried out in strong seismic region, but limited research have been done for NFGM in low or moderate seismic regions because of very few records. The purpose of this study is to investigate and analyze the effect of near-fault ground motions on reinforced concrete (RC) bridge piers with lap-spliced longitudinal reinforcing steels. The seismic performance of four RC bridge piers under near-fault ground motions was investigated on the shake table. In addition, a RC bridge pier is subjected to pseudo-dynamic loadings. Test results showed that large residual displacements were observed in RC bridge piers under NFGM. RC specimens on the shake table failed at relatively low displacement ductility, compared with the displacement ductility of RC bridge pier subjected to pseudo-dynamic loadings.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.41-53
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• 2012

The objective of this study is to evaluate the seismic capacity of RC piers with small aspect ratios. Test specimens were selected from the prototype piers among existing national roadway bridges which are expected to fail in shear and/or complex shear-flexural mode. Two groups of full scale RC pier models were constructed with aspect ratios of 2.25 and 2.67. Quasi-static tests have been implemented to investigate the failure behavior of the RC piers in terms of the lap-spliced longitudinal reinforcing steel and the aspect ratio. It is confirmed that regarding its shear-flexural behavior, the pier is very sensitive to the aspect ratio or details. In the case of a test pier with highly lap-spliced longitudinal bars, the bond failure of lap-splice steels was the dominant cause of failure before the occurrence of flexure or shear-flexural failure, despite a slight change in the aspect ratio. Finally, based on the test results and analysis, this paper proposes formulas for the yielding and ultimate displacements of circular reinforced concrete bridge piers without seismic details. These formulas will be useful for the investigation and upgrade of the seismic capacity of bridge piers without seismic details.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.19-26
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• 2007

Until recently Korea is considered to be immune from the earthquake hazard because it is located for away from the active fault. However, we have noticed that recent strong earthquakes inflicted enormous losses on human lives and nation's economy all over the world. Hence, there has been raised the importance of the earthquake resistant design for various infrastructures. In this research, new methodologies for the seismic design and performance assessment of reinforced concrete(RC) bridge pier were proposed from experimental results of 82 circular RC bridge piers and 54 rectangular RC bridge piers tested in domestic and aboard. New seismic design method was based on the concept of the limited ductile design, which could be practically used for low or moderate seismic regions like Korea. Further study for the seismic safety of RC bridge piers was carried out to enhance the seismic performance of aged RC bridge piers, which were designed and constructed before implementing the 1992 seismic design provision in Korea. New formula for the seismic performance assessment of RC bridge piers was proposed and practically used for the decision on the need of repair and retrofit of many aged RC bridge piers.