Cumulative Seismic Damage of Reinforced Concrete Bridge Piers.
Cumulative Seismic Damage of Reinforced Concrete Bridge
Piers.
(10752 K)
Kunnath, S. K.; El-Bahy, A.; Taylor, A. W.; Stone, W. C.
NISTIR 6075; 132 p. October 1997.
Available from:
National Technical Information Service
(NTIS), Technology Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce, Springfield, VA 22161.
Telephone:
1-800-553-6847 or 703-605-6000;
Fax: 703-605-6900.
Website: http://www.ntis.gov
Order number: PB98-108814
Keywords:
piers; bridges (structures); reinforced concretes;
damage; columns; cyclic load; ductility; energy
capacity; experimental testing; low cycle fatigue;
seismic damage
Abstract:
A comprehensive experimental study was undertaken in
this research effort to investigate cumulative damage in
reinforced concrete circular bridge piers. Twelve
identical quarter-scale bridge columns, designed and
fabricated in accordance with current AASHTO
specifications, were tested in two phases. Phase 1
testing consisted of benchmark tests to establish the
monotonic force-deformation envelope, the energy
capacity under standard cyclic loads, and constant
amplitude tests to determine the low-cycle fatigue
characteristics of the bridge column. Phase 2 testing
was composed of a series of analytically predicted
displacement amplitudes representing the bridge response
to earthquakes. The results of Phase 1 testing provided
information on the fatigue behavior of reinforced
concrete and Phase 2 provided data on the effects of
load path on cumulative damage.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899