The design of bridges to resist blast loads has become a national concern in recent years. Data from the State Department indicates that violent attacks against transportation targets have increased worldwide over the last decade and that highway infrastructure has been the most frequent target. Since September 11th, 2001, increased emphasis on bridge security has raised awareness in the engineering community that bridges and other transportation structures be designed to better respond to potential terrorist attacks. This paper presents the results of ongoing research at the University of Texas for the design of different types of bridges to withstand blast loads. Based on the results of these analyses, performance-based design recommendations are provided so that engineers can improve bridge response to blast loads to a level that is appropriate for a given threat scenario. Structural configurations considered in this research include prestressed girder bridges, post-tensioned segmental boxes, steel girder bridges, trusses, and cable-stayed bridges.
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