• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.355-374
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• 2006

Thin walled steel bridge-piers/columns are vulnerable to damage, when subjected to earthquake excitations. Local buckling, global buckling or interaction between local and global buckling usually is the cause of this damage, which results in significant strength reduction of the member. In this study new innovative design concepts, "thin-walled corrugated steel columns" and "thin-walled cellular steel columns" are presented, which allow the column to undergo large plastic deformations without significant strength reduction; hence dissipate energy under cyclic loading. It is shown that, compared with the conventional designs, circular and stiffened box sections, these new innovative concepts might results in cost-effective designs, with improved buckling and ductility properties. Using a finite element model, that takes the non-linear material properties into consideration, it is shown that the corrugations will act like longitudinal stiffeners that are supporting each other, thus improving the buckling behavior and allowing for reduction of the overall wall thickness of the column.

• Computational Structural Engineering : An International Journal
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2001

Collapse behavior of Mission-Gothic Undercrossing under Northridge earthquake is studied by performing nonlinear time-history analysis and three-dimensional nonlinear finite element method for flared columns. Bridge structural model is characterized as three-dimensional with consideration of columns, superstructures, and abutment conditions. Three components of ground motion, corresponding to bridge's longitudinal, transverse, and vertical direction and their combinations are used to investigate bridge collapse. Studies indicate that bridge collapse is dominantly caused by transverse ground motion and the consideration of three-dimensional ground motion leads to a more accurate assessment. Failure mechanism of flared columns is analyzed applying nonlinear finite element method. Reduction of column capacity is observed due to orientation of flare. Further investigation demonstrates that the effects of flare play an important role in predicting of bridge failure mechanism. Suggestions are offered to improve the performance of bridges during severe earthquake.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.99-112
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• 2004

It is known that lap splices in the longitudinal reinforcement of reinforced concrete (RC) bridge columns are not desirable for seismic performance, but it is sometimes unavoidable. Lap splices were practically located in the potential plastic hinge region of most bridge columns that were constructed before the 1992 seismic design provisions of the Korea Bridge Design Specification. The objective of this research is to evaluate the seismic performance of reinforced concrete (RC) bridge piers with lap splicing of longitudinal reinforcement in the plastic hinge region, to develop an enhancement scheme for their seismic capacity by retrofitting with glassfiber sheets, and to assess a damage of bridge columns subjected to seismic loadings for the development of rational seismic design provisions in low or moderate seismicity region. Nine (9) test specimens with an aspect ratio of 4 were made with three confinement ratios and three types of lap splice. Quasi-static tests were conducted in a displacement-controlled way under three different axial loads. A significant reduction of displacement ductility was observed for test columns with lap splices of longitudinal reinforcements, whose displacement ductility could be greatly improved by externally wrapping with glassfiber sheets in the plastic hinge region. A damage of the limited ductile specimen was assessed to be relatively small.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.165-176
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• 2012

The aim of this study is to assess the seismic performance of hollow reinforced concrete and prestressed concrete bridge columns, and to provide data for developing improved seismic design criteria. By using a sophisticated nonlinear finite element analysis program, the accuracy and objectivity of the assessment process can be enhanced. A computer program, RCAHEST (Reinforced Concrete Analysis in Higher Evaluation System Technology), is used to analyze reinforced concrete and prestressed concrete structures. Tensile, compressive and shear models of cracked concrete and models of reinforcing and prestressing steel were used to account for the material nonlinearity of reinforced concrete and prestressed concrete. The smeared crack approach was incorporated. The proposed numerical method for the seismic performance assessment of hollow reinforced concrete and prestressed concrete bridge columns is verified by comparing it with the reliable experimental results. Additionally, the studies and discussions presented in this investigation provide an insight into the key behavioral aspects of hollow reinforced concrete and prestressed concrete bridge columns.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.45-54
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• 2011

This paper presents a nonlinear finite element analysis procedure for the performance assessment of deteriorated reinforced concrete bridge columns. A computer program, named RCAHEST (Reinforced Concrete Analysis in Higher Evaluation System Technology), was used to analyze these reinforced concrete structures. Material nonlinearity is taken into account by comprising tensile, compressive and shear models of cracked concrete and a model of reinforcing steel. Advanced deteriorated material models are developed to predict behaviors of deteriorated reinforced concrete bridge columns. The proposed numerical method for the performance of damaged reinforced concrete bridge columns is verified by comparison with reliable experimental results.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.45-54
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate the performance of precast segmental PSC bridge columns with regard to P-delta effects. A model of precast segmental PSC bridge columns was tested under a constant axial load and a cyclically reversed horizontal load. A computer program, RCAHEST(Reinforced Concrete Analysis in Higher Evaluation System Technology), was used for the analysis of reinforced concrete structures. In addition to the material nonlinear properties, an algorithm for the problem of large displacement that may result in additional deformation has been formulated using total Lagrangian formulation. This study documents the testing of precast segmental PSC bridge columns under cyclic loading, and presents conclusions based on the experimental and analytical findings.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.1-10
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• 2011

This study presents the results of parametric studies of the P-M interaction diagram of hollow prestressed concrete bridge columns. Among the numerous parameters, this study concentrates on concrete compressive strength, prestressing steel reinforcement ratio, effective prestress, the Ds/Do ratio, and the Di/Do ratio. The strength and ductility of hollow prestressed concrete bridge columns were evaluated through quasistatic tests. The P-M interaction diagrams from the codes were different from that of the results, which were in good agreement with AASHTO-LRFD. Nondimensionalized P-M interaction diagrams were developed to predict the design resistance of hollow prestressed concrete bridge columns.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.10 no.3 s.49
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• pp.21-33
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to assess the seismic performance of reinforced concrete bridge columns using nonlinear finite element analysis. The accuracy and objectivity of the assessment process may be enhanced by the use of sophisticated nonlinear finite element analysis program. A computer program, named RCAHEST (Reinforced Concrete Analysis in Higher Evaluation System Technology), for the analysis of reinforced concrete structures was used. Damage index aims to provide a means of quantifying numerically the damage in reinforced concrete bridge columns sustained under earthquake loading. The proposed numerical method for the seismic performance assessment of reinforced concrete bridge columns is verified by comparison with reliable experimental results.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.379-388
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• 2018

This study aims to identify the effect of both longitudinal reinforcement details and damage level on making a decision of repairing pre-damaged bridge columns using basalt fiber reinforced polymer (BFRP) jackets. Two RC bridge columns with improper details of the longitudinal and/or transverse reinforcement were tested under the effect of a constant axial load and increasing lateral cyclic loading. Test results showed that the lap-splice column exhibited an inferior performance where it showed rapid degradation of strength before achieving the theoretical strength and its deformation capacity was limited; however, quick restoration is possible through a suitable rehabilitation technique. On the other hand, expensive repair or even complete replacement could be the decision for the column with the confinement failure mode. After that, a rehabilitation technique using external BFRP jacket was adopted. Performance-based design details guaranteeing the enhancement in the inelastic performance of both damaged columns were addressed and defined. Test results of the repaired columns confirmed that both reparability and the required repairing time of damage structures are dependent on the reinforcement details at the plastic hinge zone. Furthermore, lap-splice of longitudinal reinforcement could be applied as a key design-tool controlling reparability and restorability of RC structures after massive actions.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2005.03a
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• pp.308-315
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• 2005

The capacity protection is normally related with slenderness effect of the columns, force transfer in connections between columns and adjacent elements, and shear design of columns. It is intends to prevent brittle failure of the structural components of bridges, so that the whole bridge system may show ductile behavior and failure during earthquake events. For bridge systems, this means it is necessary to assess the overstrength capacity of columns prior to proceeding with the design of foundation and superstructure. The objective of this paper is to develop a capacity design approach that applies an overstrength factor for determination of possible maximum shear force in the plastic hinge zone of reinforced concrete bridge columns. In order to estimate and determine overstrength factor, material strength was developed to investigate for actual material strength total 3,407 steel and 5,405 concrete by domestic product. Based on actual material strength, this paper was conducted on moment overstrength factors using moment-curvature analysis program. And also design recommendations for capacity design are presented to revise the annual report, KEERC 2002.