Bridge Superstructure Design for Tsunamis: A State-of-the-Art Methodology for Tsunami Modeling, Load Simulation, and Structural Response Assessment

摘要

Tsunamis have caused significant damage to coastal communities in recent years. For example, the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and resulting Tohoku Tsunami destroyed infrastructure along the east coast of Japan including bridge superstructures. Highway bridges, as an important part of transportation system, have a significant role in maintaining access to coastal communities after a tsunami. Therefore, tsunami-resistant design of these superstructures is crucial. This study provides a novel methodology developed for bridge superstructure design under tsunami loads and aims to help bridge design professionals better understand structural behavior of bridges during tsunamis. An approach to estimate the tsunami loads on bridge structures and assess the structural response of the bridge is presented. Results of numerical simulations performed to compute loads on a coastal bridge are summarized and analyzed. In addition, the load effects on a particular coastal bridge due to the impact of a tsunami are discussed.