Experimental Study on the Damage of Bridge Pier under the Impact of Rockfall

Abstract

In this paper, a discussion is presented about the impact-induced damage suffered by bridge pier columns during rockfall events through model tests and impact force, column top displacement, stress-strain response, and other parameters in relation to the process of impact. On this basis, the following conclusions are drawn. Firstly, the impact force, as well as the displacement and strain of the column top, increases rapidly after taking a hit, while the displacement is reduced after reaching its maximum. Secondly, at the same falling height, the higher the impact position, the smaller the peak of impact force and the longer the attenuation period. Thirdly, at the same impact height, the impact energy, the displacement of the column top, and the peak of the impact force increase as the falling height of the pendulum ball is on the rise, but the attenuation period remains unchanged. Fourthly, the failure mode of column impacted by the swing ball conforms to shear-flexural failure. Fifthly, it is recommended to strengthen the preventative measures for those weak positions like 1/2 height and 1/4 height of bridge pier, so as to minimize the potential damage caused by rockfalls. Besides, a theoretical formula used to estimate the maximum impact force is proposed. Lastly, under the axial load of bridge deck, the performance of the pier in impact resistance under rockfall is better and the damage is less severe than in the experimental impact test. The axial load applied by the deck imposes some constraints on the pier, thus reducing concrete damage. The research results can contribute to the research on addressing the rockfall-bridge pier collision problem. The experimental research demonstrates its theoretical significance to engineering for the prevention of rockfall.

A comprehensive review on coupling vibrations of train–bridge systems under external excitations

“…Rockfall movement is quite complex which is influenced by many factors [88]. For example, the starting position of rockfall, topographic conditions, stratigraphic geology and vegetation coverage of hillside, and the size and shape of rockfall will affect the movement track of rockfall.…”

Durability Assessment Method of Hollow Thin-Walled Bridge Piers under Rockfall Impact Based on Damage Response Surface

“…In the first test, a frontal collision between the vehicle and the bridge pier was performed, and in the second test, an eccentric distance between the vehicle and the bridge pier was observed. Compared with full-scale tests, numerical simulation is more popular in the research of impact resistance of bridge piers under rockfall impacts [5][6][7]. For example, Bertrand et al analysed the reliability of reinforced concrete members under rockfall impacts and proposed a simply supported reinforced concrete member model considering material nonlinearity and contact nonlinearity [8].…”