On plasticity models for analysis of bridge box pier with round corners under cyclic loading

摘要

After the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu Earthquake, much research was conducted in Japan to improve the seismic performance of bridge piers. The new seismic design specifications for highway bridges are now available. However, although the current specifications require nonlinear dynamic analysis for the seismic design of steel bridge piers, the mechanical behavior of many types of bridge pier under cyclic loading is yet to be well-understood. Therefore, the research is still actively performed. In the present study, we deal with a steel bridge box pier with round corners, which is often employed in a densely populated district from an aesthetic viewpoint. Nonlinear finite element analysis, using shell and beam elements, is carried out. Particular attention is paid to plasticity models: the three-surface model as well as conventional plasticity models are employed. In comparison with experimental data, the study reveals the superiority of the three-surface model for analyzing this type of bridge pier.