Evaluation of PCI girder monolith in strong earthquake area using nonlinear time history analysis Available to Purchase

Bridges with high piers exceeding 40 m are generally monoliths between girder and pier to accommodate lateral deformations and obtain high stiffness to achieve adequate elevation of the piers during an earthquake. This monolith PCI girder bridge was designed and built before the SNI 2833:2016 bridge earthquake regulation was issued. The bridge is supported by abutments and three tall piers with height of piers is 42.81 m to 46,451 m and consists of four PCI girder monolith spans with a length of each span of 35m+35m+35m+40m. The bridge structure is modeled using the finite element method. The piers and beams of the bridge are modeled as frame elements, and the deck as shell elements. The abutments are assumed to be joint supports and the pier legs are assumed to be fully clamped. The relationship between the girder and the head of piers is defined as a rigid link while the head of piers and the pier legs is defined as an elastic link of rigid type. This bridge is located in a strong earthquake area and has high piers so a more complex analysis is needed to predict the performance of the bridge structure by applying a nonlinear time history analysis using Elcentro earthquake. The observed structural responses are displacement, velocity, acceleration, and drift ratio at top of the piers P1, P2 and P3. The results show that the displacement is more dominant in the longitudinal direction of the bridge. The speed of both the longitudinal and transverse directions did not have a significant difference, while the acceleration of the bridge in the transverse direction was greater than longitudinal direction. Referring to the parameters given by NCHRP 440, the drift ratio is less than 1% so that the performance level of the PCI girder monolith bridge structure is included in the operational category.