• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.69 no.3
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• pp.269-281
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• 2019

This work addresses a three-dimensional nonlinear structural analysis of the constructive phases of a cable-stayed segmental concrete bridge using The Finite Element Method through ANSYS, version 14.5. New subroutines have been added to ANSYS via its UPF customization tool to implement viscoelastoplastic constitutive equations with cracking capability to model concrete's structural behavior. This numerical implementation allowed the use of three-dimensional twenty-node quadratic elements (SOLID186) with the Element-Embedded Rebar model option (REINF264), conducting to a fast and efficient solution. These advantages are of fundamental importance when large structures, such as bridges, are modeled, since an increasing number of finite elements is demanded. After validating the subroutines, the bridge located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and known as "Ponte do Saber" (Bridge of Knowledge, in Portuguese), has been numerically modeled, simulating each of the constructive phases of the bridge. Additionally, the data obtained numerically is compared with the field data collected from monitoring conducted during the construction of the bridge, showing good agreement.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.765-779
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• 2020

Collapse of bridges in recent earthquakes demonstrates the need to deepen the understanding of the behaviour of these structures against seismic actions. This paper presents a highly detailed numerical model of an actual bridge subjected to extreme seismic action which results in its collapse. Normally, nonlinear numerical models have high difficulties to achieve convergence when reinforced concrete is intended to be represented. The main objective of this work is to determine the efficiency of different passive control strategies to prevent the structural collapse of an existing bridge. Metallic dampers and seismic isolation by decoupling the mass were evaluated. The response is evaluated not only in terms of reduction of displacements, but also in increasing of shear force and axial force in key elements, which can be a negative characteristic of the systems studied. It can be concluded that the use of a metallic damper significantly reduces the horizontal displacements and ensures the integrity of the structure from extreme seismic actions. Moreover, the isolation of the deck, which in principle seems to be the most effective solution to protect existing bridges, proves inadequate for the case analysed due to its dynamic characteristics and its particular geometry and an unpredictable type of axial pounding in the columns. This unexpected effect on the isolation system would have been impossible to identify with simplified models.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.171-188
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• 2019

This study proposed a new and efficient 2D damage-plasticity model within the framework of Isogeometric analysis (IGA) for the geometrically nonlinear damage analysis of concrete. Since concrete exhibits complicated material properties, two internal variables are introduced to measure the hardening/softening behavior of concrete in tension and compression, and an implicit gradient-enhanced formulation is adopted to restore the well-posedness of the boundary value problem. The numerical results calculated by the model is compared with the experimental data of three benchmark problems of plain concrete (three-point and four-point bending single-notched beams and four-point bending double-notched beam) to illustrate the geometrical flexibility, accuracy, and robustness of the proposed approach. In addition, the influence of the characteristic length on the numerical results of each problem is investigated.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.249-274
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• 2015

Long-span cable-stayed bridges exhibit some features which are more critical than typical long span bridges such as geometric and aerodynamic nonlinearities, higher probability of the presence of multiple vehicles on the bridge, and more significant influence of wind loads acting on the ultra high pylon and super long cables. A three-dimensional nonlinear fully-coupled analytical model is developed in this study to improve the dynamic performance prediction of long cable-stayed bridges under combined traffic and wind loads. The modified spectral representation method is introduced to simulate the fluctuating wind field of all the components of the whole bridge simultaneously with high accuracy and efficiency. Then, the aerostatic and aerodynamic wind forces acting on the whole bridge including the bridge deck, pylon, cables and even piers are all derived. The cellular automation method is applied to simulate the stochastic traffic flow which can reflect the real traffic properties on the long span bridge such as lane changing, acceleration, or deceleration. The dynamic interaction between vehicles and the bridge depends on both the geometrical and mechanical relationships between the wheels of vehicles and the contact points on the bridge deck. Nonlinear properties such as geometric nonlinearity and aerodynamic nonlinearity are fully considered. The equations of motion of the coupled wind-traffic-bridge system are derived and solved with a nonlinear separate iteration method which can considerably improve the calculation efficiency. A long cable-stayed bridge, Sutong Bridge across the Yangze River in China, is selected as a numerical example to demonstrate the dynamic interaction of the coupled system. The influences of the whole bridge wind field as well as the geometric and aerodynamic nonlinearities on the responses of the wind-traffic-bridge system are discussed.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.641-654
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• 2019

This paper investigates the seismic response of a typical non-navigable continuous girder bridge isolated with friction sliding bearings of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao link projects in China. The effectiveness of the friction pendulum system (FPS) and accuracy of the numerical model were evaluated by a 1/20 scaled bridge model using shaking table tests. Based on the hysteretic properties of friction pendulum system (FPS), double concave friction pendulum (DCFP), and triple friction pendulum system (TFPS), seismic response analyses of isolated bridges with the three sliding-type bearings are systematically carried out considering soil-pile interaction under offshore soft clay conditions. The fast nonlinear analysis (FNA) method and response spectrum are employed to investigate the seismic response of isolated offshore bridge structures. The numerical results show that the implementation of the three sliding-type bearings effectively reduce the base shear and bending moment of the reinforced concrete pier, at the cost of increasing the absolute displacement of the bridge superstructure. Furthermore, the TFPS and DCFP bearings show better isolation effect than FPS bearing for the example continuous girder bridge.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2008.04a
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• pp.380-385
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• 2008

3 DOFs model for the collision analysis of a bridge super-structure and a super-structure of the navigating vessels were proposed and analyzed. The collision event between the super-structure of vessel and the super-structure of bridge are different from the normal collision event that collided at sub-structure of bridge. Because of its moment arm, the stability force of vessel could affect to the collision behaviors. To consider this effect, 3 DOFs model including two translation DOFs and one rotational DOF were introduced. The restoration forces of the collision system were considered as nonlinear springs. The equations of motion were derived if form of differential equations and numerically solved by 4th order Runge-Kutta method. The accuracy and the feasibility of this model were verified by the numerical example with parameter of moment arm length.

• International journal of steel structures
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1219-1241
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• 2018

This study aims towards the improvement of a reinforced concrete rigid-frame bridge in an effort to reduce the construction and maintenance costs, and achieve an improved seismic performance. Correspondingly, a new structural rigid connection is proposed for H-shaped steel girders and reinforcing bars at the corner of the rigid-frame structure. Both experiments and numerical analyses were performed. Prototype models were constructed and subjected to static loading tests to reveal their load-carrying capacity and failure mode. Numerical models were then developed using finite elements to evaluate the experimental results. Analyses elicited good agreement between simulation and experimental data and validated the numerical models. Moreover, the validity of the proposed rigid connection was confirmed, and the failure behavior was clarified. Finally, a full-size model of the reinforced concrete rigid-frame bridge with H-shaped steel girders was constructed and subjected to destructive loading tests to evaluate structural integrity of the proposed rigid connection.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.497-507
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• 2017

Flooding induced scour has been long recognized as a major hazard to river-crossing bridges. Many studies in recent years have attempted to evaluate the effects of scour on the seismic performance of bridges, and probabilistic frameworks are usually adopted. However, direct and straightforward insight about how foundation scour affects bridges as a type of soil-foundation-structure system is usually understated. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of applied methods centering around seismic assessment of scoured bridges considering soil-foundation-structure interaction. When introducing these applied analysis and modeling methods, a simple bridge model is provided to demonstrate the use of these methods as a case study. Particularly, we propose the use of nonlinear modal pushover analysis as a rapid technique to model scoured bridge systems, and numerical validation and application of this procedure are given using the simple bridge model. All methods reviewed in this paper can serve as baseline components for performing probabilistic vulnerability or risk assessment for any river-crossing bridge system subject to flood-induced scour and earthquakes.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.133-143
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• 2015

This paper describes the test results and nonlinear analysis of reinforced concrete T-beams strengthened by bonded steel plates under increasing static loading conditions. The first part of this paper discusses the flexural tests on five T-beams, including the test model design (based on similarity principles), test programs, and test procedure. The second part discusses the nonlinear numerical analysis of the strengthened beams, in which a concrete damage plasticity model and a cohesive behavior were adopted. The numerical analysis results are compared with experimental data and show good agreement. The area of bonded steel plate and the anchor bolt spacing were found to have an impact on the cracking load, yield load, and ultimate load. An increase in the area of steel plate and a reduction of the anchor spacing could significantly improve the cracking and ultimate loads and decrease the damage of the beam.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.459-472
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• 2020

This study focused on the non-synoptic, tornado-like wind-induced effects on flexible horizontal structures that are extremely sensitive to winds. More specifically, the nonuniform, intensive vertical wind-velocity and transient natures of tornado events and their effects on the global behavior of a long-span bridge were investigated. In addition to the static part in the modeling of tornado-like wind-induced loads, the motion-induced effects were modeled using the semi-empirical model with a two-dimensional (2-D) indicial response function. Both nonlinear wind-induced static analysis and linear aeroelastic analysis in the time domain were conducted based on a 3-D finite-element model to investigate the bridge performance under the most unfavorable tornado pattern considering wind-structure interactions. The results from the present study highlighted the important effects due to abovementioned tornado natures (i.e., nonuniform, intensive vertical wind-velocity and transient features) on the long-span bridge, and hence may facilitate more appropriate wind design of flexible horizontal structures in the tornado-prone areas.