NEHRP Clearinghouse

Title
Response of Bridge Hinge Restrainers during Earthquakes: Field Performance, Analysis, and Design.
File
PB94102068.pdf
Author(s)
Saiidi, M.; Maragakis, E.; Abdel-Ghaffar, S.; Feng, S.; O'Connor, D.
Source
California State Dept. of Transportation, Sacramento.; National Science Foundation, Washington, DC.; Nevada Dept. of Transportation, Carson City., May 1993, 140 p.
Identifying Number(s)
CCEER-93-6
Abstract
The report presents a summary of the important findings of a study aimed at several aspects of the behavior of hinge restrainers used as a seismic retrofit measure. Details of the study are described in five other reports (15 to 19). The study included field investigations, extensive analytical studies, and an evaluation of the restrainer design method. The objectives of the study were: (1) to review the actual performance of bridge hinge restrainers during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, (2) to simulate the earthquake effect on the analytical models of several selected bridges and study their responses, (3) to carry out a parametric study of these bridges to determine the effect of stronger earthquakes and the effect of changes in the restrainer gaps, and (4) to review the restrainer design procedure and recommend any needed refinements.
Keywords
Bridges; Seismic design; Research projects; California; Hinges; Computerized simulation; Retrofitting; Restrainers; Ground motion; Loma Prieta earthquake; Earthquake engineering; Lateral pressure