SGER: Joint US-Slovenia Study of Simple Modeling of Bridge Seismic Response

基于性能的抗震设计和公路桥梁改造的发展迫切需要桥梁抗震性能的分析建模和计算机模拟创新。由于桥梁在强震作用下结构性能的复杂性和系统响应的高度非线性，计算机模拟必须与实验数据进行验证，以确定其可靠性。 本研究的目的是探讨非线性桥梁地震反应的非线性模型。 这些模型将基于在里诺的内华达州大学进行的模型桥梁振动台试验的实测响应。 该研究数值模拟部分的一个具体子任务将与斯洛文尼亚卢布尔雅那大学的研究人员合作进行。研究的重点是适合于具有连续桥面和不同高度桥墩的多跨高架桥的分析方法。这种结构具有使其响应复杂化并引入重要的高阶模式的特性。 该研究将大大提高理解桥梁倒塌地震荷载下的反应，并提供新的分析模型，评估桥梁设计。桥梁系统是最复杂的结构系统之一，以模拟地震性能，因为不同的组件（基础，下部结构，桥台，铰链，上部结构）的数量。验证模拟在桥梁设计中是必要的，这样工程师就可以评估不同设计的响应，了解对不确定参数的敏感性，并提供有关预期性能的信息。模拟研究的结果将被提炼成全面的指导方针，供桥梁设计师和研究人员使用。拟议的国际合作的教育效益将是重要的。来自两国的研究生将与来自其他国家的研究人员密切互动。这些学生将接受地震工程研究和设计方面的培训，并将接触到国际观点和观点。与斯洛文尼亚专家在这一领域的想法和数据交流将使美国参与者能够推进自己的工作，并开发可以融入教育和实践的工具。对了解国际问题的技术人员的培训将增强美国科学工作者的人力资源，并将改善全球市场上更先进的设计和研究工作的劳动力储备。

The move towards performance-based seismic design and retrofit of highway bridges has created an urgent need for innovations in analytical modeling and computer simulation of the seismic performance of bridges. Due to the complexity of structural performance of bridges during strong earthquakes and the high degree of nonlinearity in system response, computer simulations have to be verified with experimental data to establish their reliability. The purpose of this study is to investigate nonlinear models of nonlinear bridge response to seismic loads. These models will be based on measured responses of shake table tests of model bridges undertaken at the University of Nevada at Reno. A specific subtask in the numerical simulation part of the study is to be undertaken in collaboration with researchers from the University of Ljublijana (ULJ), Slovenia. The research will be focused on the analytical methodologies appropriate for multi-span viaducts having continuous deck and piers of different heights. Such structures have characteristics that complicate their response and introduce important higher modes. The research will greatly improve the understanding of bridge response to collapse under seismic loads and provide new analytic models for evaluating bridge designs.Bridge systems are one of the most complex structural systems to model for earthquake performance because of the number of different components (foundations, substructures, abutments, hinges, and superstructure). Verified simulation is necessary in bridge design so that engineers can assess the response of different designs, understand the sensitivity to uncertain parameters, and provide information on the expected performance. The results of the research findings on simulation will be distilled into comprehensive guidelines to be used by bridge designers and researchers. The educational benefits of the proposed international collaboration will be important. Graduate students from both countries will closely interact with researchers from other countries. These students will be trained in earthquake engineering research and design and will be exposed to international views and perspectives. The exchange of ideas and data with Slovenian experts in this field will enable U.S. participants to advance their own work and develop tools that can be integrated in education and practice. The training of skilled individuals with an understanding of international issues will enhance the manpower in the US scientific work force and will improve the labor pool for more advanced design and research work in the global market.