Effect of Backfill Soil Type on Stiffness and Capacity of Bridge Abutments

Abstract eng:
Bridge abutments are earth-retaining structures which support the superstructure at the ends of a bridge and provide resistance to deformation and earthquake induced inertial forces from the bridge deck. Current design practice in California makes use of bi-linear load-deformation curve and does not account for the structure backfill properties. An experimental and an analytical research program were conducted at UCSD to further investigate such structure backfill interaction characteristics. The experimental program included five large-scale tests to examine the effect of structure backfill soil type, backfill height, vertical movement of the wall, and pre-existing cut slope in backfilling on stiffness and capacity of the abutments in the longitudinal direction. The study indicated that the response of bridge abutments in the longitudinal direction is nonlinear and a function of several influential factors which need to be considered. The results of the experimental program are presented in this paper.

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