Browsing by Author "Bruneau, Michel"

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    Experimental Investigation of Multihazard Resistant Bridge Piers Having Concrete-Filled Steel Tube under Blast Loading
    (ASCE-AMER SOC CIVIL ENGINEERS, 2008) Fujikura, Shuichi; Bruneau, Michel; Lopez Garcia, Diego
    This paper presents the development and experimental validation of a multizard bridge pier concept, i.e., a bridge pier system capable of providing an adequate level of protection against collapse under seismic and blast loading (but not acting simultaneously). A multicolumn pier-bent with concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) columns is the proposed concept, and the adequacy of this system is experimentally investigated under blast loading. This paper describes simplified blast analysis, multihazard design of bridge piers, and blast experimental program and results. Additionally, the results from the blast experiments are compared with the results from the simplified method of analysis considering an equivalent single degree of freedom system having an elastic-perfectly plastic behavior. It is found that prototype bridge CFST columns can be designed to provide both satisfactory seismic performance and adequate blast resistance. It is also shown that the CFST columns exhibited a ductile behavior under blast load in a series of tests at 1/4 scale. Maximum deformation of the columns could be calculated using simplified analysis considering a factor to account for the reduction of pressures on the circular column and determined from this experimental program.
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    Multihazard-resistant highway bridge bent
    (American Society of Civil Engineers, 2006) Bruneau, Michel; López-García González, Diego; Fujikura, Suichi
    There are some similarities between seismic and blast effects on bridge structures: both major earthquakes and terrorist attacks/accidental explosions are rare events that can induce large inelastic deformations in the key structural components of bridges. Since many bridges are (or will be) located in areas of moderate or high seismic activity, and because many bridges are potential terrorist targets, there is a need to develop structural systems capable of performing equally well under both events. The objective of this research project is to develop a multi-hazard bridge pier concept capable of providing an adequate level of protection against collapse under both seismic and blast loading, and whose members' dimensions are not very different from those currently found in typical highway bridges.