Barge Bow Force–Deformation Relationships for Barge–Bridge Collision Analysis

Abstract

The AASHTO specifications pertaining to bridge design for barge collision loads use a static impact force determination procedure. Incorporated within that static procedure is a force–deformation relationship that represents barge bow stiffness. Recently developed dynamic vessel collision analysis techniques, which include mass-related components of bridge response, also require the use of a force–deformation relationship (or crush curve) to model barge bow stiffness. Whether static or dynamic analysis techniques are used, the vessel crush curve largely governs impact forces and, therefore, plays a critical role in quantifying structural response to impact loads. The basis for the AASHTO crush curve is reviewed, and new crush curves are proposed on the basis of finite element crush simulations of multiple high-resolution barge bow models. The barge models developed for this study are based strictly on structural vessel plans obtained from U.S. barge manufacturers and consist of the two most common types of barges traversing U.S. inland waterways (hopper and tanker). Recommended crush curves are then proposed for use in barge–bridge collision analysis and design.

Nonlinear Analysis of Bridge Piers under Barge Collision Load

“…A total of three different barge velocities are considered in the simulation. The results of the performed analyses are compared with the ones of the AASHOTO (1991) and previous studies (Consolazio et al 2009;Sha and Hao, 2012). It is demonstrated from the simulations that the proposed FEM is very effective in estimating the nonlinear responses of bridge pier systems under the high impact loading.…”

“…To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed FEM, the results obtained from the nonlinear simulation are compared with the AASHOTO (1991) and previous studies (Consolazio et al 2009;Sha and Hao, 2012). The static impact force determination procedure of the AASHTO specifications is described as follows.…”

“…The main purpose of the study was to investigate the pile-soil interaction, and maximum amplitude and period of the impact load. Consolazio et al (2009) developed detailed high resolution finite element models (FEM) of hopper and tanker barges. The crush simulations using a barge bow with large magnitudes were performed by using the finite element analysis.…”

A simple procedure for determination of the dynamic ship-impact load on bridge structures

“…Compared with the barge [11], the ship bow force-deformation curve (denoted by P-a curve) is more complex due to the complicated geometry of vessel bows. To date, there are no regularized P-a curves that are widely accepted to represent the ship bow stiffness.…”

“…Thus, several alternative analysis techniques were proposed to quantify collision-induced bridge responses with dynamic amplification effects included, e.g., applied vessel impact load history method, static bracketed impact analysis (SBIA) [7] and shock spectrum analysis (SSA) [10]. All these analysis methods were based upon the use of an elastic-perfectly plastic force-deformation relationships to model barge bow stiffness [11]. However, it was found from our previous studies [12][13][14] that ship bow forcedeformation relationships are more complicated than those of barge bow.…”