CE 538

Instructor: Prof. Yan Xiao

 

Seismic Design and Analysis of RC Bridges

 

General Information

 

This course will discuss the fundamental concepts and modern methods used in seismic analysis and design of reinforced concrete bridges. Current practice and design codes will be critically examined. Challenges in the practice of assessment and retrofit design of existing bridges will also be specifically addressed.

 

Special emphasis will be given to discuss the performance of structures and structural elements based on the state-of-the-art research results and actual earthquake observations. Fundamentals related to computer modeling for bridge analysis will then be specifically discussed. Several computer programs will be introduced and evaluated. The emphasis will be on the simplification of bridge structure model as well as the justification of computer output.

 

The participating students will be divided into several project groups. Each group will be given a project for analysis and design of an actual bridge throughout the semester. Both team and individual efforts will be required to complete the project. A special discussion session will also be provided to help students from different groups learn from each other.

 

Unit:                3 units, graduate level.

 

Prerequisite:   CE457, Reinforced Concrete Design.

 

Text:               Priestley, Seible, and Calvi, “Seismic Design and Retrofit of Bridges”

                        published by Wiley, May 1996.

 

Handout materials of recent technical papers.

 

References:    i. “Stantard Specifications for Seismic Design of Highway Bridges,” AASHTO, Washington D.C., 1992.

ii.      “Bridge Substructure and Foundation Design,” P.P. Xanthakos, published by Prentice Hall PTR, 1995.

iii.     “AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications,” First Edition, Washington, D.C.

iv.    “Bridge Design Specification,” California Transportation Department (CALTRANS), 1992.

v. “Bridge Analysis by Microcomputer,” Jaeger, et.al., McGrawHill, 1989.

 

Class:              Wednesday, 6:30pm to 9:10pm. KAP159.

 

Grading:         2-3 Homework Assignments     and project term report             40%

                        Midterm Exam                                                                          30%

            Final Exam: final presentation and report of the project              30%

 

Lecture Contents

Week

Topics

Project

HW

1

Chapter-1 Introduction

1.1 Bridge Aesthetics

1.2  Brief Review of Prestressed Concrete

1.3 Bridge Type and Construction

 

 

2

1.4 Bridge Performance in Past Earthquakes

1.5 Scope of the Course

 

 

3

Chapter-2 General Design Considerations for Bridges

2.1 General Design Approaches

2.2 Loads on Bridges

2.3 Combinations of Loads

Task-1: dead load and live load.

 

4

2.4 Non Seismic Analysis and Design

 

 

5

Chapter-3 Seismic Design of Bridges

3.1 Earthquake Forces

3.2 Resisting Systems in Bridge

 

 

6

3.3 Performance Criteria

3.4 Seismic Design Philosophy and Approach

 

#1

7

Presentation and Discussion of Task-1

Task-1 presentation and discussion

 

8

Chapter-4 Seismic Response and Analysis

4.1 Objectives

4.2 Fundamentals of RC Modeling

Tast-2: seismic force and analysis

(computer work needed)

 

9

4.3 Modeling of Bridge Components

4.4 Elastic Analysis

4.5 Pushover Analysis

 

 

10

4.6 Inelastic Time-History Analysis

 

 

11

(Mid-

Term

Exam)

Chapter-5 Principles of RC Bridge Design

5.1 Superstructure

5.2 Substructure

Midterm Examination

 

 

12

5.2 Substructure

5.3 Other Bridge Elements

 

#2

13

Chapter-6 Seismic Analysis and Retrofit

6.1 Potential Problem Areas and Actual Damage

6.2 Assessment and Retrofit Design Criteria

6.3 Superstructure Retrofit

Task-3: design.

 

14

6.4 Substructure Retrofit (column, footing, connections)

6.5 Other Techniques

 

 

15

Chapter-7 Practical Challenges

7.1 Design and testing of a single column bridge bent design to current standards

7.2 Earthquake damage analysis of a multi-column bent bridge

7.3 Analysis and retrofit of a steel/concrete mixed long span toll bridge