Seismic response of multi-span highway bridges with two-column reinforced concrete bents including foundation and column flexibility


Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Mühendislik Fakültesi, İnşaat Mühendisliği Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2008

Öğrenci: TANER YILMAZ

Danışman: ALP CANER

Özet:

Seismic design of highway bridges has improved as a result of the experience gained from large earthquakes of the last thirty years. Ductility demand and reserved capacity are extremely important response measures used in new bridge designs to assess target damage levels. However, the application of practical design approaches specified in bridge design codes is not well-defined for bridges over flexible foundations. Within the scope of this research, thirty two bridge models having varying column aspect ratio, amount of column longitudinal reinforcement and foundation flexibility parameters are investigated through a series of analyses such as response spectrum analysis and inelastic time-history analysis under “safety evaluation earthquake” hazard level with a return period of 1000 years, and push-over analysis. Using the results of analyses, seismic response of the investigated bridges are identified with several measures such as displacement capacity over demand ratio, global displacement ductility demand, and response modification factor, along with maximum concrete and steel strains of columns. A correlation between concrete and steel strains and seismic response measure values is constructed to estimate damage levels with commonly used response measures. The findings of this research revealed that global displacement ductility demand is not a favorable response measure for assessing damage levels. On the other hand, displacement capacity over demand ratios can be suggested for estimation of damage levels especially where foundation flexibility effects are extensive as system yielding is not taken into consideration.