Shake-Table Tests of a Bridge Model With Different Transverse Unseating-Prevention Devices

Abstract eng:
Damage investigation of highway bridges after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake showed that typical types of damage included: sliding between the laminated-rubber bearing and the bridge girder, shear keys failure, excessive girder displacements and even span collapse. As part of a major research on the seismic response of highway bridges with economical laminated-rubber bearings in China, a quarter-scale, two-span bridge model was tested on shake tables at Tongji University. The model was subjected to a series of ground motions with different characteristics. The seismic behaviors of different unseating-prevention devices (concrete shear keys and X-steel damper) were investigated and compared in the test. The construction and testing of the bridge model, and the selected experimental results were discussed in the paper. Conclusions drawn from the test are as follows: (1) the sliding of laminated-rubber bearing can perform as a structural fuse that protect piers from severe damage; (2) the properly designed concrete shear keys can effectively restrain the bearing displacements, but will result in relatively large seismic demand of piers; (3) due to the powerful energy dissipation, X-steel dampers perform well in controlling the bearing displacements, and at the same time, mitigating the seismic demand of piers. It is suggested that the X-steel damper can be used along with the laminated-rubber bearings, to improve the seismic performance of highway bridges.

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