Seismic vulnerability assessment of precast post-tensioned segmental bridge piers subject to far-fault ground motions

Precast post-tensioned segmental (PPS) bridge piers mitigate global and local damages of structures through natural hinges (joints between their segments) rocking motion segments. The application the PPS is currently growing in Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) where segments are manufactured offsite with higher quality, assembled onsite a short time. Structural vulnerability analysis very essential extending engineering implementation under seismic loading. Thus, this work particularly focuses on assessment piers. To achieve goal, previously developed experimentally validated robust Finite Element model OpenSees programme used to analyse various aspect ratios. An equivalent reinforced concrete (RC) pier one also analysed. Incremental Dynamic Analysis (IDA) performed fragility curves generated evaluate performance an RC using suite 44 far-fault ground motions. IDA results show that slenderising tends change failure criterion from yielding post-tensioning tendon strength loss pier. For squat slender piers, governs while drops due second-order effects at small drift values prior tendon. It found more prone collapse compared reaches slight medium damage states lower intensity measures