TAIWAN HIGH SPEED RAIL PROJECT - SEISMIC DESIGN OF BRIDGES ACROSS THE TUNTZUCHIAO ACTIVE FAULT

摘要

The US$15 billion Taiwan High Speed Rail Project, one of the largest and most challenging infrastructure projects in the world to date, is scheduled to commerce service by the end of 2005. The 345 km rail corridor is designed for trains travelling at maximum speed of 350 km/hr. A substantial 75% of the line is to run on elevated bridges, 15% in tunnels and 10% on grade or in cut/fill embankments. The civil works is being constructed under twelve separate designs and build contracts. The location for Contract C250 (the contractor HBP is a joint venture of HOCHTIEF AG, Ballast Nedam and Pan Asia) is in central Taiwan and includes approximately 39 km of viaduct and bridge construction, short lengths of cut and cover tunnel and earthworks, plus a segment where the Tuntzuchiao active earthquake fault crosses the alignment.rnCapacity design methods used for the seismic resistant design of the 185 m long 5-span bridge crossing the Tuntzuchiao active fault are described. The bridge was required to be designed for both amplified near-fault shaking effects plus fault rupture including 1.5 m horizontal and 0.5 m vertical ground offsets, without suffering a loss of span failure. Special detailing incorporated to allow the bridge to survive the fault movement without catastrophic damage included large monopile foundations, simply-supported and fully articulated deck spans, large movement pot bearings, plus a backup system of guide walls.