• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.77 no.3
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• pp.343-354
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• 2021

The frequencies formulas of the bridge are of great importance in the design process since these formulas provide insight dynamic characteristics of the structure, which guides the designers to parametric analyses and the layout of the bridge in conceptual or preliminary design. Continuous rigid frame bridge is popular in the mountainous area. Mostly, this type of bridge was simplified either as a girder or cantilever when calculating the frequency, however, studies showed that the different configuration of the bridge made the problem more complex, and there is no unified fundamental calculation pattern for this kind of bridge. In this study, an empirical frequency equation is proposed as a function of pier's height, stiffness of pier and the weight of the structure. A unified fundamental frequency formula is presented based on the energy principle, then the typical continuous rigid frame bridge is investigated by finite element method (FEM) to study the dynamic characteristics of the structure, and then several key parameters are investigated on the effect of structural frequency. These parameters include the number, position and stiffness of the tie beam. Nonlinear regression analyses are conducted with a comprehensive statistical study from plenty of engineering structures. Finally, the proposed frequency equation is validated by field test results. The results show that the fundamental frequency of the continuous rigid frame bridge increases more than 15% when the tie beams are set, and it increases with the stiffness ratio of tie beam to pier. The results also show that the presented unified fundamental frequency has an error of 4.6% compared with the measured results. The investigation can predicate the approximate longitudinal fundamental frequency of continuous ridged frame bridge, which can provide reference for the seismic response and dynamic impact factor design of the pier.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.855-874
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• 2016

In this paper, it is aimed to evaluate the earthquake angle influence on the seismic performance of steel highway bridges. Upper-deck steel highway bridge, which has arch type load bearing system with a total length of 216 m, has been selected as an application and analyzed using finite element methods. The bridge is subjected to 1992 Erzincan earthquake ground motion components in nineteen directions whose values range between 0 to 90 degrees, with an increment of 5 degrees. The seismic weight is calculated using full dead load plus 30% of live load. The variation of maximum displacements in each directions and internal forces such as axial forces, shear forces and bending moments for bridge arch and deck are attained to determine the earthquake angle influence on the seismic performance. The results show that angle of seismic input motion considerably influences the response of the bridge. It is seen that maximum arch displacements are obtained at X, Y and Z direction for $0^{\circ}$, $65^{\circ}$ and $5^{\circ}$, respectively. The results are changed considerably with the different earthquake angle. The maximum differences are calculated as 57.06%, 114.4% and 55.71% for X, Y and Z directions, respectively. The maximum axial forces, shear forces and bending moments are obtained for bridge arch at $90^{\circ}$, $5^{\circ}$ and $0^{\circ}$, respectively. The maximum differences are calculated as 49.12%, 37.37% and 51.50%, respectively. The maximum shear forces and bending moments are obtained for bridge deck at $0^{\circ}$. The maximum differences are calculated as 49.67%, and 49.15%, respectively. It is seen from the study that the variation of earthquake angle effect the structural performance of highway bridges considerably. But, there is not any specific earthquake angle of incidence for each structures or members which increases the value of internal forces of all structural members together. Each member gets its maximum value of in a specific angle of incidence.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.375-388
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• 2017

Prior to modern seismic provisions, several bridges were not designed for seismic actions in moderate seismic areas. Precast multi-girder and slab bridges are typical highway overpass structures; they have a significant contribution to national bridge stocks. Since the seismic behavior is questionable, a preliminary parametric study is conducted to determine critical configurations and components. The results indicate that the behavior of the abutments, backfill soil, superstructure and foundation is normally satisfactory; however, the superstructure-abutment joints are critical for both single- and multi-span bridges, while the piers are also critical for longer multi-span configurations. The parametric results provide a solid basis both for detailed seismic assessment and development of design concepts of newly built structures in moderate seismic zones.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 1998.04b
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• pp.439-446
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• 1998

Earthquake damage civil engineering structures every year in the world and bridges are no exception. Bridge structures have proven to be vulnerable to earthquake, sustaining damage to substructure and foundation and being totally destroys as superstructures collapse from their supporting elements. The poor seismic performance of bridge structures is surprising in view of the substantial advance made in design and construction for vertical load. Recently, bridge spans have been pushed further than before, alignment has become increasingly complex and aesthetic requirement have been become more demanding. To reduce the seismic force and to improve the safety of the advanced bridges, the bridge bearings which are the substructures and foundations and their connections to the superstructure become more important and critical elements. Therefore, the functions about seismic devices to be using as bridge bearing are discussed.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.511-525
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• 2014

The main object of this study is to determine and compare the structural behavior of base isolated long span highway bridge, $G\ddot{u}lburnu$ Highway Bridge, using single concave friction pendulum (SCFP) and triple concave friction pendulum (TCFP). The bridge is seismically isolated in the design phase to increase the main period and reduce the horizontal forces with moments using SCFP bearings. In the content of the paper, firstly three dimensional finite element model (FEM) of the bridge is constituted using project drawings by SAP2000 software. The dynamic characteristics such as natural frequencies and periods, and the structural response such as displacements, axial forces, shear forces and torsional moments are attained from the modal and dynamic analyses. After, FEM of the bridge is updated using TCFP and the analyses are performed. At the end of the study, the dynamic characteristics and internal forces are compared with each other to extract the TCFP effect. To emphasize the base isolation effect, the non-isolated structural analysis results are added to graphics. The predominant frequencies of bridge non-isolated, isolated with SCFP and isolated with TCFP conditions decreased from 0.849Hz to 0.497Hz and 0.338Hz, respectively. The maximum vertical displacements are obtained as 57cm, 54cm and 44cm for non-isolated, isolated with SCFP and isolated with TCFP conditions, respectively. The maximum vertical displacement reduction between isolated with TCFP bearing and isolated with SCFP bearing bridge is %23. Maximum axial forces are obtained as 60619kN, 18728kN and 7382kN, maximum shear forces are obtained as 23408kN, 17913kN and 16249kN and maximum torsional moments are obtained as 24020kNm, 7619kNm and 3840kNm for non-isolated, isolated with SCFP and isolated with TCFP conditions, respectively.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.173-190
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• 2011

As a practical and effective seismic resisting technology, the base isolation system has seen extensive applications in buildings and bridges. However, a few problems associated with conventional lead-rubber bearings have been identified after historical strong earthquakes, e.g., excessive permanent deformations of bearings and potential unseating of bridge decks. Recently the applications of shape memory alloys (SMA) have received growing interest in the area of seismic response mitigation. As a result, a variety of SMA-based base isolators have been developed. These novel isolators often lead to minimal permanent deformations due to the self-centering feature of SMA materials. However, a rational design approach is still missing because of the fact that conventional design method cannot be directly applied to these novel devices. In light of this limitation, a displacement-based design approach for highway bridges with SMA isolators is proposed in this paper. Nonlinear response spectra, derived from typical hysteretic models for SMA, are employed in the design procedure. SMA isolators and bridge piers are designed according to the prescribed performance objectives. A prototype reinforced concrete (RC) highway bridge is designed using the proposed design approach. Nonlinear dynamic analyses for different seismic intensity levels are carried out using a computer program called "OpenSees". The efficacy of the displacement-based design approach is validated by numerical simulations. Results indicate that a properly designed RC highway bridge with novel SMA isolators may achieve minor damage and minimal residual deformations under frequent and rare earthquakes. Nonlinear static analysis is also carried out to investigate the failure mechanism and the self-centering ability of the designed highway bridge.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2017

Finite element model updating is very effective procedure to determine the uncertainty parameters in structural model and minimize the differences between experimentally and numerically identified dynamic characteristics. This procedure can be practiced with manual and automatic model updating procedures. The manual model updating involves manual changes of geometry and analyses parameters by trial and error, guided by engineering judgement. Besides, the automated updating is performed by constructing a series of loops based on optimization procedures. This paper addresses the ambient vibration based finite element model updating of long span reinforced concrete highway bridges using manual model updating procedure. Birecik Highway Bridge located on the $81^{st}km$ of Şanliurfa-Gaziantep state highway over Firat River in Turkey is selected as a case study. The structural carrier system of the bridge consists of two main parts: Arch and Beam Compartments. In this part of the paper, the arch compartment is investigated. Three dimensional finite element model of the arch compartment of the bridge is constructed using SAP2000 software to determine the dynamic characteristics, numerically. Operational Modal Analysis method is used to extract dynamic characteristics using Enhanced Frequency Domain Decomposition method. Numerically and experimentally identified dynamic characteristics are compared with each other and finite element model of the arch compartment of the bridge is updated manually by changing some uncertain parameters such as section properties, damages, boundary conditions and material properties to reduce the difference between the results. It is demonstrated that the ambient vibration measurements are enough to identify the most significant modes of long span highway bridges. Maximum differences between the natural frequencies are reduced averagely from %49.1 to %0.6 by model updating. Also, a good harmony is found between mode shapes after finite element model updating.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.365-377
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• 2015

Large-amplitude vibration of overhead sign structures can cause unfavorable psychological responses in motorists, interfere with readability of the signs, and lead to fatigue cracking in the sign structures. Field experience in Texas suggests that an overhead sign structure can vibrate excessively when supported within the span of a highway bridge instead of at a bent. This study used finite element modeling to analyze the dynamic displacement response of three hypothetical sign structures subjected to truck-passage-induced vertical oscillations recorded for the girders from four actual bridges. The modeled sign bridge structures included several span lengths based on standard design practices in Texas and were mounted on precast concrete I-girder bridges. Results revealed that resonance with bridge girder vertical vibrations can amplify the dynamic displacement of sign structures, and a specific range of frequency ratios subject to undesirable amplification was identified. Based on these findings, it is suggested that this type of sign structure be located at a bridge bent if its vertical motion frequency is within the identified range of bridge structure excitation frequencies. Several alternatives are investigated for cases where this is not possible, including increasing sign structure stiffness, reducing sign mass, and installing mechanical dampers.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2011.04a
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• pp.324-327
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• 2011

The design requirement for ground mounted sign structures are fairly well defined in the AASHTO Standard Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaries, and Traffic Signals and consists of applying an equivalent pseudo-dynamic loading to account for the dynamic effects of wind loads and ignores the dynamic effect due to moving vehicle loads. This design approach, however, should not be applied to the design of bridge mounted sign structures because ignoring the dynamic effects of the moving vehicle loads may produce non-conservative results, since the stiffness of the bridge structure can greatly influence the behavior. Not enough information is available in the literatures which provide guide lines to include the influence of moving vehicles in the design of the bridge mounted sign structures. This paper describes a theoretical methodology, Bridge-Vehicle Interaction Element, which can be utilized to account for the dynamic effect of moving vehicles. A case study is also included where this methodology was successfully applied. It was concluded that the bridge-vehicle interaction finite element developed can provide a more accurate representation of the behavior of bridge mounted sign structures. The result of these analysis enabled development of simple and effective retrofitting scheme for the existing support system of bridge-mounted-structure.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.373-388
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• 2010

The updated finite element model of K$\ddot{o}$m$\ddot{u}$rhan Highway Bridge on the Firat River located on the $51^{st}$ km of Elazi$\breve{g}$-Malatya highway is obtained by using analytical and experimental results. The 2D and 3D finite element model of the bridge is created by using SAP2000 structural analyses software, and the dynamic characteristics of the bridge are determined analytically. The experimental measurements are carried out by Operational Modal Analysis Method under traffic induced vibrations and the dynamic characteristics are obtained experimentally. The vibration data are gathered from the both box girder and the deck of the bridge, separately. Due to the expansion joint in the middle of the bridge, special measurement points are selected when experimental test setups constitute. Measurement duration, frequency span and effective mode number are determined by considering similar studies in literature. The Peak Picking method in the frequency domain is used in the modal identification. At the end of the study, analytical and experimental dynamic characteristic are compared with each other and the finite element model of the bridge is updated by changing some uncertain parameters such as material properties and boundary conditions. Maximum differences between the natural frequencies are reduced from 10% to 2%, and a good agreement is found between natural frequencies and mode shapes after model updating.