This paper deals with the cyclic elastoplastic analysis and seismic performance evaluation of thin-walled steel tubular bridge piers. The basic characteristics of steel tubular bridge piers of thin-walled box and circular sections are noted. The results of a finite element analysis on cyclic elastoplastic behavior of steel bridge piers are presented. In the analysis the modified two-surface plasticity model is employed for material nonlinearity to trace with high accuracy the inelastic cyclic behavior of steel. Based on the ultimate strength and ductility capacity, a seismic performance evaluation method for thin-walled steel tubular bridge piers is presented. The procedure of determining ultimate strength and ductility capacity of piers is based on the empirical ductility equations for pier’s plate sub-elements and involves an elastoplastic pushover analysis and failure criterion accounting for local buckling. The application of the method is demonstrated by comparing the computed strength and ductility of some cantilever columns with the test results. The method is applicable for both the design of new and retrofitting of existing thin-walled steel tubular structures.
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