NEHRP Clearinghouse
- Title
- Prioritization of Bridges for Seismic Retrofitting.
- File
- PB95200150.pdf
- Author(s)
- Basoez, N.; Kiremidjian, A. S.
- Source
- National Center for Earthquake Engineering Research, Buffalo, NY.; National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA., January 1995, 174 p.
- Abstract
- This report presents a prioritization method developed for seismic retrofitting of bridges. The method is used to identify bridges that are in most need of retrofitting and rank order these bridges based on the vulnerability and importance criteria. Vulnerability assessment includes evaluation of the seismic hazard at the bridge site, classification of existing bridges into bridge classes and fragility analysis. Vulnerability is expressed as a function of seismicity in order to capture the direct effect of ground motion on damage. New bridge classes are defined based on the proposition that bridges with similar structural characteristics will experience similar damage under a given seismic loading. An expert system is developed to classify bridges into bridge classes. The need for the development of fragility curves for each bridge class is emphasized. Importance assessment considers the attributes that relate the consequences of failure of a bridge to the public safety and socio-economic well-being of a community. A detailed review and critique of the existing prioritization methodologies is included.
- Keywords
- Priorities; Bridge failures; Seismic retrofitting; Damage assessment; Risk assessment; Earthquake resistant structures; Algorithms; Structural design; Traffic impedances; Bridge design; Rehabilitation; Highway maintenance; Structural analysis; Reinforcing materials; Expert systems; Earthquake engineering; Knowledge based systems; Reinforcement (Structures); Highway management