A Fully Precast Pier System for Accelerated Bridge Construction in Seismic Regions
Publication: Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 28, Issue 10
Abstract
As the demands on the country’s aging infrastructure continue to grow, new methods of construction that prioritize speed of construction, reliability, and environmental impact will have an outsized impact on how the country rebuilds and rehabilitates its infrastructure. Accelerated bridge construction or ABC for short, is one such method that is already being implemented in many states in the United States, such as Idaho. Precast concrete offers many advantages for ABC. The use of precast concrete for bridge substructures in seismic regions is of great interest but the required detailing of connections needed to sustain the forces and displacements generated by earthquakes is a challenge. In addition, having adequate construction tolerance between precast elements is important. As such, this research proposes a new fully precast pier system that employs ABC methods for applications in seismic regions. The system offers many advantages, in addition to better construction tolerances compared with some previously investigated connections between precast elements. The seismic performance of the system is experimentally investigated using large-scale structural testing and subsequently compared to the benchmark cast-in-place (CIP) specimens. The proposed precast system uses structural steel tubes (pipes) filled with concrete in the plastic hinge zones that are meant to serve as seismic energy dissipaters enhancing the structural performance of the pier. In this type of connection, the concrete filled steel pipe provides shear/flexural resistance as well as confinement to the concrete at the plastic hinge. Results from the large-scale structural testing of the proposed ABC precast pier and benchmark CIP pier showed that the former outperformed the latter in various aspects. Given the superior performance of the precast system investigated in this research, it has been implemented in a bridge in Idaho located in an area of high seismicity.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
All the data generated or used during the study are available by contacting the corresponding author.
Acknowledgments
The authors are thankful to the Idaho Transportation Department for supporting this research and providing feedback. The contents of this manuscript, funded by the Idaho Transportation Department and the Federal Highway Administration, reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts and accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the Idaho Transportation Department or the Federal Highway Administration. This article does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. The authors would like to express their gratitude to Jared Cantrell, Corey Marshall, Mahesh Mahat, and Katie Hogarth for their substantial assistance with the project.
References
AASHTO. 2015. AASHTO standard specification for plain and laminated elastomeric bridge bearings. Washington, DC: AASHTO.
AASHTO. 2020. AASHTO LRFD bridge design specifications. 9th ed. Washington, DC: AASHTO.
AISC. 2017. Steel construction manual. 15th ed. Chicago, IL: AISC.
Al-Kaseasbeh, Q., and I. H. P. Mamaghani. 2019. “Performance of thin-walled steel tubular circular columns with graded thickness under bidirectional cyclic loading.” In Proc., Structures Congress 2019: Bridges, Nonbuilding and Special Structures, and Nonstructural Components, edited by J. G. Soules. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Ameli, M. J., D. N. Brown, J. E. Parks, and C. P. Pantelides. 2016. “Seismic column-to-footing connections using grouted splice sleeves.” ACI Struct. J. 113 (5): 1021–1030.
ASCE. 2020. Infrastructure report card 2017. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Billington, S. L., R. W. Barnes, and J. E. Breen. 1999. “A precast segmental substructure system for standard bridges.” PCI J. 44: 56–73. https://doi.org/10.15554/pcij.07011999.56.73.
Billington, S. L., R. W. Barnes, and J. E. Breen. 2001. “Alternate substructure systems for standard highway bridges.” J. Bridge Eng. 6: 87–94. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1084-0702(2001)6:2(87).
Buckle, I. 1994. The northridge, California earthquake on January 17: Performance of highway bridges. Buffalo, NY: Univ. at Buffalo.
Chopra, A. K. 2017. Dynamics of structures: Theory and applications to earthquake engineering. London: Pearson Education Limited.
CSI (Computers and Structures Inc). SAP 2000 integrated software for structural analysis and design. Berkeley, CA: CSI.
Ebrahimpour, A., and B. Earles. 2020. Seismic behavior of bridge precast columns with grouted rebar couplers. Vol. 341, 188–201. ACI SP-341 Special Publication. Farmington Hills, MI: American Concrete Institute.
Galvis, F., and J. F. Correal. 2017. “Characterization of the seismic behavior of a column-foundation connection for accelerated bridge construction.” In Proc., 16th World Conf. on Earthquake Engineering. Santiago, Chile: Chilean Association on Seismology and Earthquake Engineering (ACHISINA).
Haber, Z. B. 2013. “Precast column-footing connections for accelerated bridge construction in seismic zones.” Accessed October 30, 2022. https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/precast-column-footing-connections-accelerated/docview/1416356419/se-2.
Khaleghi, B. 2011. Highways for life projects and accelerated bridge construction in Washington state. TRB 7181. Washington, DC: The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
Kim, C. S., W. Y. Lim, H. G. Park, and J. K. Oh. 2016. “Cyclic loading test for cast-in-place concrete-filled hollow precast concrete columns.” ACI Struct. J. 113 (2): 205–215.
Kingsley, A. M. 2005. Experimental and analytical investigation of embedded column base connections for concrete filled high strength steel tubes. Washington, DC: Univ. of Washington.
Marsh, M. L., J. F. Stanton, M. Wernli, M. O. Eberhard, B. E. Garrett, and M. D. Weinert. 2011. Application of accelerated bridge construction connections in moderate-to-high seismic regions. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Mashal, M. 2015. “Post-tensioned earthquake damage resistant technologies for accelerated bridge construction.” Ph.D. thesis, Dept. of Civil and Natural Resources Engineering, Univ. of Canterbury.
Mashal, M., and A. Palermo. 2019. “Emulative seismic resistant technology for Accelerated Bridge Construction.” Soil Dyn. Earthquake Eng. 124 (December 2018): 197–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2018.12.016.
Mashal, M., S. White, and A. Palermo. 2016. “Quasi-static cyclic testing of emulative cast-in-place connections for accelerated bridge construction in seismic regions.” Bull. N. Z. Soc. Earthquake Eng. 49 (3): 267–282. https://doi.org/10.5459/bnzsee.49.3.267-282.
Matsumoto, E. E., M. E. Kreger, M. C. Waggoner, and G. Sumen. 2002. “Grouted connection tests in development of precast bent cap system.” Transp. Res. Rec. 1814: 55–64. https://doi.org/10.3141/1814-07.
Matsumoto, E. E., M. C. Waggoner, M. E. Kreger, J. Vogel, and L. Wolf. 2008. “Development of a precast concrete bent-cap system.” PCI J. 53 (3): 74–99. https://doi.org/10.15554/pcij.05012008.74.99.
Mehraein, M., and M. S. Saiidi. 2016. Seismic performance of bridge column-pile-shaft pin connections for application in accelerated bridge construction. Reno, NV: Dept. of Transportation.
Nelson, M., Y. C. Lai, and A. Fam. 2008. “Moment connection of concrete-filled fiber reinforced polymer tubes by direct embedment into footings.” Adv. Struct. Eng. 11: 537–547. https://doi.org/10.1260/136943308786412023.
Ou, Y. C., H. Alrasyid, Z. B. Haber, and H. J. Lee. 2015. “Cyclic behavior of precast high-strength reinforced concrete columns.” ACI Struct. J. 112 (6): 839–850.
Pang, J. B. K., M. O. Eberhard, and J. F. Stanton. 2010. “Large-bar connection for precast bridge bents in seismic regions.” J. Bridge Eng. 15 (3): 231–239. https://doi.org/http://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)BE.1943-5592.0000081.
Priestley, M. J. N., G. M. Calvi, and M. J. Kowalsky. 2007. Displacement-based seismic design of structures. Pavia, Italy: The International Union of Soil Sciences Press.
Restrepo, J. I., M. J. Tobolski, and E. E. Matsumoto. 2011. Development of a precast bent cap system for seismic regions. NCHRP Report 681. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Riva, P. 2006. “Seismic behaviour of precast column-to-foundation grouted sleeve connections.” Solid Mech. Appl. 140: 121–128. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-4891-2_10.
Sideris, P., A. J. Aref, and A. Filiatrault. 2014. “Large-scale seismic testing of a hybrid sliding rocking posttensioned segmental bridge system.” J. Struct. Eng. 140: 04014025. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0000961.
Tazarv, M., and M. S. Saiidi. 2015. Design and construction of precast bent caps with pocket connections for high seismic regions. Reno, NV: Dept. of Transportation.
U.S. DOT/Federal Highway Administration. 2019. “Accelerated bridge construction.” Accessed January 8, 2020. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/abc.
Wacker, J. M., D. G. Hieber, J. F. Stanton, and M. O. Eberhard. 2005. Design of precast concrete piers for rapid bridge construction in seismic regions. Res Rep 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
Wasserman, E. P., and J. H. Walker. 1996. Integral abutments for steel bridges. Chicago, IL: American Iron and Steel Institute.
Wood, S. L., J. F. Stanton, and N. M. Hawkins. 1996. “Performance of precast parking garages in the northridge earthquake: Lessons learned.” In Vol. 2 of Proc., 14th Int. Congress of the Int. Radiation Protection Association, 1221–1227.
WSDOT (Washington State Department of Transportation). 2019. “Bridge design manual (LRFD).” In Engineering and Regional Operations Bridge and Structures Office, edited by T. Baker and D. Lehmann. Olympia, WA: WSDOT.
Yang, C., P. Okumus, and R. Ren. 2019. “A hysteretic model for self-centering precast concrete piers with varying shear-slip between segments.” Eng. Struct. 188: 350–361. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2019.01.053.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 28 • Issue 10 • October 2023
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 29, 2022
Accepted: May 19, 2023
Published online: Jul 17, 2023
Published in print: Oct 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Dec 17, 2023
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.