MPC Research Reports
Report Details

Title:	Seismic Rehabilitation of Reinforced Concrete Bridge Wall Piers
Authors:	Chris P. Pantelides, Bhaskar Kunwar, and Vanessa McEntee
University:	University of Utah
Publication Date:	Dec 2019
Report #:	MPC-19-410
Project #:	MPC-526
TRID #:	01733984
Keywords:	bearing capacity, bridge piers, building codes, cyclic tests, dissipation, earthquake resistant design, fiber reinforced polymers, rehabilitation (maintenance), reinforced concrete bridges, retrofitting, stiffness

Abstract

Reinforced concrete bridge wall piers constructed using older codes perform inadequately during strong earthquakes; deficiencies include short reinforcement lap splices, insufficient steel reinforcement ratios in the longitudinal and transverse direction, and inadequate seismic detailing. Three half-scale wall piers were constructed using as-built reinforcement details conforming to older bridge codes; an identical fourth specimen was constructed using current seismic code-compliant reinforcement details. A total of six quasi-static cyclic tests were conducted regarding the weak axis of the wall piers: (i) as-built test of first wall pier, (ii) test of modern code-compliant pier, (iii) retrofit test of second as-built pier using vertical and horizontal CFRP anchors and jackets (R1), (iv) retrofit test of third as-built pier using near surface mounted (NSM) carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) rods, horizontal CFRP anchors and jackets (R2), (v) repair test of first as-built pier using mild steel NSM bars, horizontal CFRP anchors and jackets (ABRP), and (vi) repair test of code-compliant pier using a CFRP shell with vertical headed steel bars for relocating the plastic hinge (MCRP). The two retrofit methods increased initial stiffness of the as-built pier by 110%, the lateral load-carrying capacity by 73%, and the hysteretic energy dissipation capacity by 67%. The repair method of the as-built pier increased initial stiffness of the as-built pier by 50% and load-carrying capacity by 73% with similar hysteretic energy dissipation. The repair method of the code-compliant pier increased the initial stiffness by 31%, load-carrying capacity by 15%, and hysteretic energy capacity by 55% for lateral displacements that reached a 6% drift ratio.

How to Cite

Pantelides, Chris P., Bhaskar Kunwar, and Vanessa McEntee. Seismic Rehabilitation of Reinforced Concrete Bridge Wall Piers, MPC-19-410. North Dakota State University - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, Fargo: Mountain-Plains Consortium, 2019.