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

基于性能的公路桥梁抗震设计和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，需要用实验数据验证计算机模拟，以建立其可靠性。本研究的目的是探讨非线性桥梁在地震荷载作用下的非线性响应模型。这些模型将基于内华达大学里诺分校对模型桥梁进行的振动台试验的测量反应。该研究数值模拟部分的一项具体子任务将与斯洛文尼亚卢布尔雅那大学（ULJ）的研究人员合作进行。研究将集中在分析方法适用于具有连续甲板和不同高度的桥墩的多跨高架桥。这种结构具有使其响应复杂化并引入重要高阶模态的特性。该研究将大大提高人们对地震荷载作用下桥梁倒塌反应的认识，并为桥梁设计评价提供新的分析模型。桥梁系统是地震性能建模中最复杂的结构系统之一，因为它有许多不同的组成部分（基础、下部结构、桥台、铰链和上部结构）。在桥梁设计中，验证仿真是必要的，以便工程师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。模拟的研究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视角。与斯洛文尼亚在这一领域的专家交流思想和数据，将使美国与会者能够推进他们自己的工作，并开发可与教育和实践相结合的工具。培养了解国际问题的技术人才将增强美国科学工作队伍的人力资源，并将为全球市场上更先进的设计和研究工作改善劳动力储备。

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.