Seismic Effectiveness of Multiple Seismic Measures on a Continuous Girder Bridge

Abstract

Seismic hazards, such as bridge pounding, unseating, collapse, etc., cause significant economic losses and affect traffic and safety. Research on seismic measures, such as limiting and unseating prevention devices for the bridge, can effectively prevent damage to the bearings, such as excessive displacement, the pounding of the beam end, etc., in an earthquake. In this paper, the dynamic time-history analysis method was used to study the mechanical behaviors of the bridge structure, such as its seismic performance, structural displacement, pier bending moment, etc. We found that different combinations of seismic measures can effectively reduce the displacement at the bridge expansion joint and bearings. The joint application of an expansion device, restrainer, and unseating prevention devices shows the best limiting effect on bridge displacement and expansion joint displacement. The maximum reduction of bridge expansion joint displacement reaches 48% and is within the allowable deformation range of an expansion device in a large earthquake, and the maximum reduction of bearing displacement reaches 34%, which only slightly exceeds the shear deformation of the bearing. The expansion device, restrainer, and unseating prevention devices have smaller internal forces in this case than other cases, without damage. In contrast to the previous studies on single seismic measures of unseating restrainers, this study investigates the combination of multiple seismic measures and earthquakes of various magnitude. It reveals the catastrophe process of the bridge structure and the cooperation law of seismic measures in an earthquake.