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Limit analysis of transverse seismic capacity of multi-span masonry arch bridges

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Abstract

Thousands of road and railway masonry arch bridges are still in service in the Italian and European transportation network, and many of them are located in highly seismic areas. In this work, a kinematic analysis procedure is developed to assess the transverse seismic capacity of multi-span masonry bridges with slender piers, as they may be vulnerable to transverse seismic action. The procedure can calculate the limit horizontal load multiplier of overall collapse mechanisms involving transverse deformation of deck and piers. The procedure is then adopted in a parametric study describing the typical ranges of the main parameters influencing bridge transverse capacity. Parametric analysis yielded a set of iso-acceleration envelope curves which supply the resistant seismic acceleration of a bridge as a function of simple geometric parameters. The resulting graphs can thus be used for preliminary seismic assessments.

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Acknowledgments

This study was developed within the framework of collaboration between the Italian Network of University Laboratories of Seismic Engineering (ReLUIS) and Italian State Railways (RFI S.p.A.). The authors express their gratitude to the various RFI departments which collaborated on the geometric and structural surveys of bridges, and the Technical Department Bridges and Structures for providing archive material used in parametric analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Padova, Via Marzolo, 9, 35131 , Padua, Italy

    Paolo Zampieri, Giovanni Tecchio, Francesca da Porto & Claudio Modena

Authors
  1. Paolo Zampieri
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  2. Giovanni Tecchio
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  3. Francesca da Porto
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  4. Claudio Modena
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Correspondence to Francesca da Porto.

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Zampieri, P., Tecchio, G., da Porto, F. et al. Limit analysis of transverse seismic capacity of multi-span masonry arch bridges. Bull Earthquake Eng 13, 1557–1579 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-014-9664-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-014-9664-3

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