Title: Seismic Performance of Bridge Systems with Conventional and Innovative Materials (NEES-2005-0033)

Description: Due to the complexity of structural performance during strong earthquakes and the highly nonlinear response of structural systems, computer simulations have to be verified with experimental data to establish their reliability. Calibration of computer simulation tools requires data on models that realistically represent not only structural components, but also the interaction among them and system response. The scale has to be sufficiently large to replicate both the macroscopic and microscopic structural response. This is particularly important for Performance-Based Design (PBD) in which localized damage can be the performance criterion. While the research community has successfully studied different aspects of component behavior, it has not been able to experimentally evaluate the system behavior because of the lack of large-scale testing facilities, high capacity testing equipment, and the necessary information technology (IT) infrastructure. The technical focus of this study is on three approximately quarter-scale test models of a series of four-span bridge frame supported on three shake tables at UNR. Shake table testing will take place during the second, third, and the first half of the fourth year of the project at approximately six to eight-month intervals. All the objectives of the study will be addressed through the testing and performance evaluation of these bridge models. The study consists of preliminary analytical studies of the system prior to finalizing its design, construction of the model, instrumentation, setting up the model, shake table simulations, data collection, data processing and reduction, and interpretation and evaluation of the response. Concurrent with all these tasks there will be considerable interaction with several other universities that will be directly and indirectly involved in the UNR part of the research. Bridge abutment studies, as a part of this project, will be conducted at the University of California , San Diego (UCSD) by utilizing its large high performance outdoor shake table (LHPOST). This part of the study will precede the shake table tests at UNR. An international component is included in the tasks on innovative materials and numerical simulations. 
 

Award: http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0420347

PIs & CoPIs: Mehdi Saiidi, Ahmed Elgamal

Organizations:

Florida International University (Modesto Maidique Campus), FL, United States,
Georgia Institute of Technology, GA, United States,
Stanford University, CA, United States,,University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States,
University of California, San Diego, CA, United States,
University of Kansas, KS, United States,
University of Nevada-Reno, NV, United States

Facilities:

Florida International University (Modesto Maidique Campus), FL, United States,
University of Kansas, KS, United States,
Georgia Institute of Technology, GA, United States,
Stanford University, CA, United States,
University of California, San Diego, CA, United States,
University of Nevada-Reno, NV, United States

Sponsor: NSF - 0420347 

Keywords: Bridges,Seismic Response Analysis,Simulation

Publications:

"CCEER-07-04: Experimental Evaluation of Performance of Conventional Bridge Systems" 
"SCL-071201: Seismic Performance of Hybrid FRP-Concrete Pier Columns"
"SCL-020108: Seismic Performance of Hybrid FRP-Concrete Pier Frame System"       

 

• Ahmed Elgamal, Mehdi Saiidi (2017), "Seismic Performance of Bridge Systems with Conventional and Innovative Materials (NEES-2005-0033)," https://datacenterhub.org/deedsdv/publications/view/418.