• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.541-557
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• 2016

Prefabricated bridge substructures provide new possibility for designers in terms of efficiency of creativity, fast construction, geometry control and cost. Even though prefabricated bridge columns are widely adopted as a substructure system in the bridge construction project recently, lack of deeper understanding of the seismic behavior of prefabricated bridge substructures cause much concern on their performance in high seismic zones. In this paper, experimental research works are presented to verify enhanced design concepts of prefabricated bridge piers. Integration of precast segments was done with continuity of axial prestressing tendons and mild reinforcing bars throughout the construction joints. Cyclic tests were conducted to investigate the effects of the design parameters on seismic performance. An analytical method for moment-curvature analysis of prefabricated bridge columns is conducted in this study. The method is validated through comparison with experimental results and the fiber model analysis. A parametric study is conducted to observe the seismic behavior of prefabricated bridge columns using the analytical study based on strain compatibility method. The effects of continuity of axial steel and tendon, and initial prestressing level on the load-displacement response characteristics, i.e., the strain of axial mild steels and posttensioned tendon at fracture and concrete crushing strain at the extreme compression fiber are investigated. The analytical study shows the layout of axial mild steels and posttensioned tendons in this experiment is the optimized arrangement for seismic performance.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.645-667
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• 2016

The 750 m long "De Bosset" bridge in the Cephalonia Island of Western Greece, being the area with the highest seismicity in Europe, was constructed in 1830 by successive stone arches and stiff block-type piers. The bridge suffered extensive damages during past earthquakes, such as the strong M7.2 earthquake of 1953, followed by poorly-designed reconstruction schemes with reinforced concrete. In 2005, a multidisciplinary project for the seismic assessment and restoration of the "De Bosset" bridge was undertaken under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Culture. The proposed retrofitting scheme combining soil improvement, structural strengthening and reconstruction of the deteriorated masonry sections was recently applied on site. Design of the rehabilitation measures and assessment of the pre- and post-interventions seismic response of the bridge were based on detailed in-situ and laboratory tests, providing foundation soil and structural material properties. In-situ inspection of the rehabilitated bridge following the strong M6.1 and M6.0 Cephalonia earthquakes of January 26th and February 3rd 2014, respectively, revealed no damages or visible defects. The efficiency of the bridge retrofitting is also proved by a preliminary performance analysis of the bridge under the recorded ground motion induced by the above earthquakes.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.255-268
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• 2019

Civil infrastructures, such as bridges and tunnels are most important assets and their failure during service will have significant economic and social impact in any country. Behavior of a bridge can be evaluated only through actual monitoring/measurements of bridge members under the loads of interest. Theoretical analysis alone is not a good predictor of the ability of a bridge. In some cases, theoretical analyses can give less effect than actual since theoretical analyses do not consider the actual condition of the bridge, support conditions, level of corrosion and damage in members and connections etc. Hence actual measurements of bridge response should be considered in making decisions on structural integrity, especially in cases of high value bridges (large spans and major crossings). This paper describes in detail the experimental investigations carried out on an open web type steel railway bridge. Strain gages and displacement transducers were installed at critical locations and responses were measured during passage of locomotives. Stresses were evaluated and extrapolated to maximum design loading. The responses measured from the bridge were within the permissible limits. The methodology adopted shall be used for assessing the structural integrity of the bridge for the design loads.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.83 no.1
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• pp.123-134
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• 2022

The stability of cable-stayed bridges is an important factor considered during design. In recent years, the novel spatial diamond-shaped bridge pylon has shown its advantages in various aspects, including the static response and the stability performance with the development of cable-stayed bridge towards long-span and heavy-load. Based on the energy approach, this paper presents a practical calculation method of the completed state stability of a cable-stayed bridge with two spatial diamond-shaped pylons. In the analysis, the possible transverse buckling of the girder, the top pylon column, and the mid pylon columns are considered simultaneously. The total potential energy of the spatial diamond-shaped pylon cable-stayed bridge is calculated. And based on the principle of stationary potential energy, the transverse buckling coefficients and corresponding buckling modes are obtained. Furthermore, an example is calculated using the design parameters of the Changtai Yangtze River Bridge, a 1176 m cable-stayed bridge under construction in China, to verify the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method in practical engineering. The critical loads and the buckling modes derived by the proposed method are in good agreement with the results of the finite element method. Finally, cable-stayed bridges varying pylon and girder stiffness ratios and pylon geometric dimensions are calculated to discuss the applicability and advantages of the proposed method. And a further discussion on the degrees of the polynomial functions when assuming buckling modes are presented.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.62 no.6
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• pp.663-674
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• 2017

This paper presents an approach for evaluating performance of prestressed concrete (PC) bridge girders exposed to fire. A finite element based numerical model for tracing the response of fire exposed T girders is developed in ANSYS. The analysis is carried out in three stages, namely, fire temperature calculation, cross sectional temperature evaluation, and then strength, deformation and effective prestress analysis on girders exposed to elevated temperatures. The applicability of the computer program in tracing the response of PC bridge girders from the initial preloading stage to failure stage, due to combined effects of fire and structure loading, is demonstrated through a case study, and validated by test data of a scaled PC box girder under ISO834 fire condition. Results from the case study show that fire severity has a significant influence on the fire resistance of PC T girders and hydrocarbon fire is most dangerous for the girder. The prestress loss caused by elevated temperature is about 10% under hydrocarbon fire till the girder failure, which can lead to the increase in deflection of the PC girder. The rate of deflection failure criterion is suggested to determine the failure of PC T girder under fire.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.29-42
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• 2018

This paper presents the results of an empirical study in which square rock-like blocks containing two parallel pre-existing rough non-persistent joints were subjected to uniaxial compression load. The main purpose of this study was to investigate uniaxial compressive strength and deformation modulus of jointed specimens. Response Surface Method (RSM) was utilized to design experiments and investigate the effect of four joint parameters, namely joint roughness coefficient (JRC), bridge length (L), bridge angle (${\gamma}$), and joint inclination (${\theta}$). The interaction of these parameters on the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) and deformation modulus of the blocks was investigated as well. The results indicated that an increase in joint roughness coefficient, bridge length and bridge angle increased compressive strength and deformation modulus. Moreover, increasing joint inclination decreased the two mechanical properties. The concept of 'interlocking cracks' which are mixed mode (shear-tensile cracks) was introduced. This type of cracks can happen in higher level of JRC. Initiation and propagation of this type of cracks reduces mechanical properties of sample before reaching its peak strength. The results of the Response Surface Methodology showed that the mutual interaction of the joint parameters had a significant influence on the compressive strength and deformation modulus.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.147-151
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• 2007

Load testing is an effective means in calculating the rating value of bridge. In Korea, load carrying capacity of bridge is modified by response modification factor that is determined from comparisons of measured values and analysis results. This paper presents the development of a method for determining the response modification factor, using traffic load. The proposed method is based on the results of computer simulations of traffic action effects. A comparison between the proposed method and the present method shows good agreement in estimating the modified load carrying capacity of bridges.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.168-178
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• 2008

The hybrid simulation test method is a versatile technique for evaluating the seismic performance of structures by seamlessly integrating both physical and numerical simulations of substructures into a single test mode. In this paper, a software framework that integrates computational and experimental simulation has been developed to simulate and test a bridge structural system under earthquake loading. Using hybrid simulation, the seismic response of complex bridge structural systems partitioned into multiple large-scale experimental and computational substructures at networked distributed experimental and computational facilities can be evaluated. In this paper, the examples of application are presented in terms of a bridge model with soil-foundation-structure interaction.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.337-342
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• 2003

The dynamic load effects are conveyed to the railway bridges through tracks which are generated by moving trains The dynamic load effects may vary due to the dynamic characteristics of the applied vehicle loads and the railway bridges containing the track system. However, the track effects have been neglected or simplified by spring elements in the most studies since it is quite complex to consider the track systems in the dynamic analysis models of railway bridges. In this study, track system on railway bridges is modeled using a three-dimensional discrete-support model that can simulate the load carrying behavior of tracks. In addition, this program is developed with the precise 20-car model and a continuous PSC(prestressed concrete) box girder bridge, which is the main bridge type of Korea Train express(KTX). Three-dimensional elements are used for both. The dynamic response of railway bridges is found to be affected depending on whether the track model is considered or not. The influencing rate depends on the traveling speed and different wheel-axle distance. The dynamic bridge response is decreased remarkably by the track systems around the resonant frequency. Therefore, the resonance effect can be reduced by modifying the track properties in the railway bridge.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.139-146
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• 2004

In this paper, the seismic analysis and the modeling techniques have been introduced for seismic performances assessment, when seismic isolation bearings are applied to a real bridge. Nonlinear time-history analysis is carried out using finite element analysis program. El Centro earthquake(1940, N00W) used as earthquake ground excitations. The seismic response of seismically isolated bridge is compared with that of a bridge using conventional Pot Bearings, after obtaining the displacements of the deck, the deformations of the piers, shear forces and moments of the bottoms of the piers. The analytical analysis results show that seismic isolation bearing, especially seismic isolation bearings with sliding mechanism, could reduce earthquake forces.