Multi-Hazard-Resistant Behavior of CFRP- and Polyurea-Retrofitted Reinforced Concrete Two-Column Piers under Combined Collision–Blast Loading

Abstract

This study investigated the multi-hazard resistance of highway bridge piers retrofitted with carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) and polyurea coating against the combined collision–blast loads and evaluated their effectiveness. Detailed finite element models of CFRP- and polyurea-retrofitted dual-column piers that considered the blast-wave–structure interactions and the soil pile dynamics were developed using LS-DYNA to simulate the combined effects of a medium-size truck collision and close-in blast. Numerical simulations were conducted to examine the dynamic response of bare and retrofitted piers under different levels of demands. The numerical results indicated that using CFRP wrapping or polyurea coating effectively mitigated the combined collision and blast effects and increased the pier’s resistance. Parametric studies were performed to identify an in situ retrofit scheme to control the parameters and determine the optimal schemes for the dual-column piers. For the parameters that were studied, the results showed that retrofitting at half the height of both columns at the base was identified as an optimal scheme to improve the multi-hazard resistance of the bridge pier.