Decompression Events during Transverse Seismic Response of Symmetric Three-Pier Bridges with Distributed Mass

Multispan bridges with distributed deck and pier mass and pier‐flexure‐deck‐torsion coupling under transverse excitation—Analytical solution, parametric studies, design implications

“…Piers fixed at the top of the foundation. The rotational flexibility of footings of massless piers was found to have limited impact on two‐ or three‐span 1 and four‐span 2 bridges with footings uplifting from the ground. It is neglected here, as it disproportionately complicates the approach for piers with mass.…”

“…Extension of the model to piers with two or more columns across the deck is possible—albeit, non‐trivial—but would unduly affect the presentation's length and complexity. Piers fixed at the top of the foundation. The rotational flexibility of footings of massless piers was found to have limited impact on two‐ or three‐span 1 and four‐span 2 bridges with footings uplifting from the ground. It is neglected here, as it disproportionately complicates the approach for piers with mass.…”

“…This paper manages with 10 or 16 coefficients and two discrete DoFs in two‐ or three‐span bridges, respectively, and with 20 or 26 coefficients and four discrete DoFs in four‐ or five‐span ones. Its main novelty, though, is a new unified formulation replacing the fragmented approaches proposed for the side issues of uplifting of footings from the soil or of bearings from the abutment in bridges with one or two massless piers 1 or three massless piers, 2 extending them to (up to four) piers with mass. It does so in a transparent way that can be applied to more challenging geometries (e.g., to asymmetric bridges or six spans), stressing the commonalities and differences of the response of different bridge layouts.…”