NEHRP Clearinghouse
- Title
- Nonlinear Soil-Structure Interaction of Skew Highway Bridges.
- File
- PB276176.pdf
- Author(s)
- Chen, M.; Penzien, J.
- Source
- Federal Highway Administration, Washington, D.C.; National Science Foundation, Washington, D.C., August 1977, 127 p.
- Identifying Number(s)
- UCB/EERC-77/24
- Abstract
- Presented in this report is a study of the behavior of short, skew highway bridges interacting with their surrounding soils during strong motion earthquakes. The first part of the study defines a three-dimensional, nonlinear mathematical model for the complete bridge-soil system while the second part develops the associated computer program for carrying out time-history dynamic response analysis. The mathematical model consists of (1) linear, elastic, three-dimensional solid finite elements representing backfill soils and abutment walls, (2) linear, elastic prismatic beam elements representing the bridge deck, pier columns, and pier caps, (3) nonlinear friction elements representing the discontinuous behavior of separation, impact, and slippage at the interfaces between backfills and abutment walls, and (4) discrete translational and rotational linear springs representing foundation flexibilities at the bases of supporting columns. In developing the computer program for time-history dynamic response analysis, considerable effort was spent in achieving computational efficiency. Special programming techniques including the use of matrix reduction procedures, iteration procedures, and variable time steps were used.
- Keywords
- Seismic loads; Computer programs; SKEW computer program; Mathematical models; Earth movements; Finite element analysis; Ground motion; Earthquake engineering; Backfills; Bridge decks; Bridge piers; Soil structure interactions; Soil dynamics; Seismic response; Skew bridges; Earthquakes