Enhanced Strategies for Seismic Resilient Posttensioned Reinforced Concrete Bridge Piers: Experimental Tests and Numerical Simulations

Recent studies have proposed and investigated the use of unbonded posttensioned (PT) bars in bridge substructure systems to improve their self-centering behavior. However, lateral loading resistance capacities reinforced concrete (RC) piers with PT (i.e., RC piers: PRC piers) could be easily compromised by early crushing base compression toe during a seismic event. Hence, order enhance pier integrity, present study proposes experimentally investigates three simple strategies for enhancing seismic-damage based on (1) steel tube encase pier’s end segment; (2) ultrahigh performance at (3) engineered cementitious composite mortar bed underneath bottom. The these was assessed comparing them conventional under cyclic considering damage evolution force-displacement response. comparison shows that enhanced solutions allow improving system sustaining large drifts good Moreover, test results, finite element models accounting force loss rocking characteristics were validated reproduce piers’ response, thus highlighting importance numerical simulations.