This paper proposes a multiaxial macroelement for bridge abutments that can be included in the global structural model of to carry out nonlinear dynamic analyses with very much smaller computational effort than achieved using continuum representations embankment and foundation soil behaviour. The proposed derives constitutive force–displacement relationship within rigorous thermodynamic framewo...

HUA LI. Countermeasures against Scour at Bridge Abutments (Under the direction of Dr. BRIAN D. BARKDOLL) Scour at bridge abutments can cause damage or failure of bridges and result in excessive repairs, loss of accessibility, or even death. To mitigate abutment scour, both clear-water and live-bed laboratory experiments in a compound channel were performed using parallel walls and spur dikes as...

Sixteen large-scale reinforced concrete specimens without web reinforcements were tested to study the behavior of typical bridge piers subjected to deflection reversals that were large enough to cause extensive yielding of the longitudinal reinforcement. The different parameters considered included shear spanto-depth ratio, percentage of longitudinal reinforcement, frequency of the applied load...

This paper presents the development and experimental validation of a multizard bridge pier concept, i.e., a bridge pier system capable of providing an adequate level of protection against collapse under seismic and blast loading but not acting simultaneously . A multicolumn pier-bent with concrete-filled steel tube CFST columns is the proposed concept, and the adequacy of this system is experim...

Past earthquakes have demonstrated that old RC bridges may be seismically vulnerable. Bridge responses during the last decades illustrated the necessity of the seismic assessment of bridges especially those which were designed with old codes. In this research an existing concrete bridge representative of the most common bridges in the highway system in Iran are studied. Push over and nonlinear ...