NEHRP Clearinghouse

Title
Earthquake Response of Long-Span Suspension Bridges.
File
PB84113778.pdf
Author(s)
Rubin, L. I.; Abdel-Ghaffar, A. M.; Scanlan, R. H.
Source
National Science Foundation, Washington, DC., May 1983, 576 p.
Identifying Number(s)
R-83-SM-13
Abstract
The earthquake response of long-span suspension bridges subjected to multiple-support seismic excitations for vertical, torsional, and lateral vibrations is investigated. Ground motion inputs are taken from existing ground motion records and compared to artificially generated records. A relatively large number of modes, closely spaced in frequency domain, is found to participate in the earthquake response of a suspension bridge. The vibrational stresses induced in the cable-suspended structure under multiple-support excitation are determined to be live loads that may come close to or exceed design yield stresses. It is concluded that the properties of soils underlying the bridges' foundations should be estimated and considered when designing the bridges.
Keywords
Golden Gate Bridge; Tacoma Narrows Bridge; California; Mathematical models; Computer applications; Ground motion; Earthquake engineering; Vincent Thomas Bridge; Suspension bridges; Bridge foundations; Dynamic response; Soil dynamics; Random vibration; Soil structure interactions; Finite element analysis; Washington (State); Earthquakes; Forced vibration