Evaluation of Flexural Performance of Slab Bridges in the Pacific Northwest Region Subjected to Long-Duration Earthquake Events

Date
2024-08-08
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Journal of Civil Infrastructure
Abstract
While previous studies have explored bridge vulnerabilities, there is a notable gap in assessing the susceptibility of existing bridges, particularly slab bridges, to long-duration earthquakes in seismically active regions. This study uniquely quantifies and evaluates the impact of a moment magnitude (MW) 9.0 earthquake, characterized by its long duration, on the incipient collapse risk of slab bridges in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) region of the United States. The assessment includes potential flexural failures in slab bridge columns and the associated collapse risk. A slab bridge is modeled in OpenSees for case studies to determine vulnerability and incipient collapse risk through fragility analyses and a risk-targeted approach in accordance with the 2023 AASHTO Guide Specifications for LRFD Seismic Bridge Design. The study emphasizes the consequences of outdated seismic design standards, particularly for slab bridges constructed before the 1990s. Moreover, the findings reveal that long-duration earthquakes significantly increase the collapse risk of aging slab bridges built before the 1990s.
Description
This article was originally published in International Journal of Civil Infrastructure. The version of record is available at: https://doi.org/10.11159/ijci.2024.011 © Copyright 2024 Authors - This is an Open Access article published under the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0) terms. Unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium are permitted, provided the original work is properly cited.
Keywords
slab bridge, Pacific Northwest, long-duration, fragility analyses, risk-targeted
Citation
Obayes, Shaymaa, and Monique Head. “Evaluation of Flexural Performance of Slab Bridges in the Pacific Northwest Region Subjected to Long-Duration Earthquake Events.” International Journal of Civil Infrastructure 07 (2024). https://doi.org/10.11159/ijci.2024.011.