Evaluation of the horizontal load-carrying capacity of a thin steel bridge pier by means of the Damage Subloading Surface model

Abstract

The evaluation of the load-carrying capacity of a structure is an important aspect of the structural design. In particular, large seismic events can significantly compromise the performances of structures, or parts of them, due to the formation and accumulation of plastic deformation. In the present paper, we analyse the seismic performance of a thin steel bridge column by means of an unconventional elastoplastic and damage model. The idea is to evaluate the horizontal load-carrying capacity of the pier for different seismic events, analysing the conditions that can compromise the stability of the structure.