• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.593-616
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• 2010

The seismic performance of reinforced concrete (RC) bridge columns is a significant issue because the interaction of flexural ductility and shear capacity of such columns with varied amounts of lateral reinforcement is not well established. Several relationships between flexural ductility and shear capacity have been proposed by various researchers in the past. In this paper, a parametric study on RC bridge columns is conducted using a nonlinear finite element program, "Simulation of Concrete Structures (SCS)", developed at the University of Houston. SCS has been previously used to predict the seismic behavior of such columns. The predicted results were compared with the test results obtained from experiments available in literature. Based on the results of the parametric study performed in this paper, a set of new relationships between flexural ductility and shear capacity of RC columns is proposed for seismic design.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.715-725
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• 2003

This paper is a part of a research program to develop a new design method for reinforced concrete bridge columns under seismic loading. The objectives of this paper are to investigate the relationship between ductility and confinement steel amount and to propose a design equation for reinforced concrete bridge columns. Computer program NARCC was used for parametric study, which was proved to provide good and conservative analytical result especially for deformation capacity and ductility factor compared with test result. A total of 7,200 reinforced concrete columns confined with spirals or perfect circular hoops were selected by combination of variables such as section diameter, aspect ratio, concrete compressive strength, yielding strength of longitudinal and confinement steel, longitudinal steel ratio, axial load ratio, and confinement steel ratio. Based on the parametric study a new design equation for confinement steel amount considering ductility demand was proposed, which can be used in the new seismic design method, i.e. ductility-based seismic design, for RC bridge columns.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.9 no.2 s.42
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• pp.29-36
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• 2005

The purpose of this study is to investigate the inelastic behavior of reinforced concrete bridge columns with unbonding of main reinforcements at plastic hinge region. A computer program, named RCAHEST (Reinforced Concrete Analysis in Higher Evaluation System Technology), for the analysis of reinforced concrete structures was used. Material nonlinearity is taken into account by comprising tensile, compressive and shear models of cracked concrete and a model of reinforcing steel. The smeared crack approach is incorporated. The effect of unbonding of main reinforcements at plastic hinge region has been also taken into account to model the concrete and reinforcing steel. The proposed numerical method for the inelastic behavior of reinforced concrete bridge columns with unbonding of main reinforcements at plastic hinge region is verified by comparison with reliable experimental results.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.39-49
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• 2003

This research is a part of a research program to develope a new design method for reinforced concrete bridge columns under axial load and cyclic lateral load. A nonlinear analytical method is proposed to obtain moment-curvature relationship and lateral load-displacement relationship. Various analytical models that contribute seismic behavior of reinforced concrete bridge columns are adopted and modified by comparing quasi-static test results of reinforced concrete columns with spirals of circular hoops. The analysis adopts confined concrete model, longitudinal reinforcement test result of reinforced concrete columns with spirals or circular hoops. The analysis adopts confined concrete model, etc. The results obtained using the propose analytical method agree well with test results and give conservative estimations particularly for deformation capacity and ductility.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.03a
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• pp.292-299
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to investigate the inelastic behavior of precast segmental prestressed concrete bridge columns. A computer program, named RCAHEST (Reinforced Concrete Analysis in Higher Evaluation System Technology), for the analysis of reinforced concrete structures was used. Material nonlinearity is taken into account by comprising tensile, compressive and shear models of cracked concrete and a model of reinforcing steel. An unbonded tendon element based on the finite element method, that can represent the interaction between tendon and concrete of prestressed concrete member, is used. A joint element is newly developed to predict the inelastic behaviors of segmental joints. The proposed numerical method for the inelastic behavior of precast segmental prestressed concrete bridge columns is verified by comparison with reliable experimental results.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.3 no.5
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• pp.649-673
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• 2012

Recent studies have highlighted the importance of accounting for aging and deterioration of bridges when estimating their seismic vulnerability. Effects of structural degradation of multiple bridge components, variations in bridge geometry, and comparison of different environmental exposure conditions have traditionally been ignored in the development of seismic fragility curves for aging concrete highway bridges. This study focuses on the degradation of multiple bridge components of a geometrically varying bridge class, as opposed to a single bridge sample, to arrive at time-dependent seismic bridge fragility curves. The effects of different exposure conditions are also explored to assess the impact of severity of the environment on bridge seismic vulnerability. The proposed methodology is demonstrated on a representative class of aging multi-span reinforced concrete girder bridges typical of the Central and Southeastern United States. The results reveal the importance of considering multiple deterioration mechanisms, including the significance of degrading elastomeric bearings along with the corroding reinforced concrete columns, in fragility modeling of aging bridge classes. Additionally, assessment of the relative severity of exposure to marine atmospheric, marine sea-splash and deicing salts, and shows 5%, 9% and 44% reduction, respectively, in the median value bridge fragility for the complete damage state relative to the as-built pristine structure.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.99-112
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• 2004

It is known that lap splices in the longitudinal reinforcement of reinforced concrete (RC) bridge columns are not desirable for seismic performance, but it is sometimes unavoidable. Lap splices were practically located in the potential plastic hinge region of most bridge columns that were constructed before the 1992 seismic design provisions of the Korea Bridge Design Specification. The objective of this research is to evaluate the seismic performance of reinforced concrete (RC) bridge piers with lap splicing of longitudinal reinforcement in the plastic hinge region, to develop an enhancement scheme for their seismic capacity by retrofitting with glassfiber sheets, and to assess a damage of bridge columns subjected to seismic loadings for the development of rational seismic design provisions in low or moderate seismicity region. Nine (9) test specimens with an aspect ratio of 4 were made with three confinement ratios and three types of lap splice. Quasi-static tests were conducted in a displacement-controlled way under three different axial loads. A significant reduction of displacement ductility was observed for test columns with lap splices of longitudinal reinforcements, whose displacement ductility could be greatly improved by externally wrapping with glassfiber sheets in the plastic hinge region. A damage of the limited ductile specimen was assessed to be relatively small.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.31-38
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• 2003

Lap splices were located in the plastic hinge region of most bridge piers that were constructed before the adoption of the seismic design provision of Korea Highway Design Specification on 1992. But sudden brittle failure of lap splices may occur under inelastic cyclic loading. The purpose of this study is to analytically predict nonlinear hysteretic behavior and ductility capacity of reinforced concrete bridge piers with lap splices under cyclic loading. For this purpose, a nonlinear analysis program, RCAHEST(Reinforced Concrete Analysis in Higher Evaluation System Technology) is used. Lap spliced bar element is developed to predict behaviors of lap spliced bar. Maximum bar stress and slip of lap spliced bar is also considered, The proposed numerical method for seismic performance evaluation of reinforced concrete bridge piers with lap splices is verified by comparison with reliable experimental results.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.357-364
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• 2003

In the conventional reinforced-concrete bridge deck, concrete and steels are likely to be deteriorated and corroded under the influence of noxious environment. To cope with these problems caused in the conventional reinforced-concrete bridge deck, pultruded composite bridge deck having light weight, high strength, corrosion resistance and durability is developed. For the DB24 truck load pultruded composite bridge deck is designed and fabricated. For the fabricated and assembled deck panel, structural testing such as flexural test, local fatigue test, flexural fatigue test are conducted to verify the deck capacity experimentally. In this paper design for deck profile, details of connection and experimental results of composite bridge deck are presented.

• 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.