Optimum design of bridges with superelastic-friction base isolators against near-field earthquakes Conference Paper uri icon

abstract

  • The seismic response of a multi-span continuous bridge isolated with novel superelastic-friction base isolator (S-FBI) is investigated under near-field earthquakes. The isolation system consists of a flat steel-Teflon sliding bearing and a superelastic NiTi shape memory alloy (SMA) device. Sliding bearings limit the maximum seismic forces transmitted to the superstructure to a certain value that is a function of friction coefficient of sliding interface. Superelastic SMA device provides restoring capability to the isolation system together with additional damping characteristics. The key design parameters of an S-FBI system are the natural period of the isolated, yielding displacement of SMA device, and the friction coefficient of the sliding bearings. The goal of this study is to obtain optimal values for each design parameter by performing sensitivity analyses of the isolated bridge. First, a three-span continuous bridge is modeled as a two-degrees-of-freedom with S-FBI system. A neuro-fuzzy model is used to capture rate-dependent nonlinear behavior of SMA device. A time-dependent method which employs wavelets to adjust accelerograms to match a target response spectrum with minimum changes on the other characteristics of ground motions is used to generate ground motions used in the simulations. Then, a set of nonlinear time history analyses of the isolated bridge is performed. The variation of the peak response quantities of the isolated bridge is shown as a function of design parameters. Also, the influence of temperature variations on the effectiveness of S-FBI system is evaluated. The results show that the optimum design of the isolated bridge with S-FBI system can be achieved by a judicious specification of design parameters. 2010 SPIE.

name of conference

  • Active and Passive Smart Structures and Integrated Systems 2010

published proceedings

  • ACTIVE AND PASSIVE SMART STRUCTURES AND INTEGRATED SYSTEMS 2010, PTS 1 AND 2

author list (cited authors)

  • Ozbulut, O. E., & Hurlebaus, S.

citation count

  • 0

complete list of authors

  • Ozbulut, Osman E||Hurlebaus, Stefan

editor list (cited editors)

  • Ghasemi-Nejhad, M. N.

publication date

  • March 2010