Seismic behavior of RNC-isolated bridges: a comparative study under near-fault, long-period, and pulse-like ground motions

This paper introduces a recent seismic isolation system, named Roll-in-Cage (RNC) isolator, for efficient protection of bridges against destructive earthquakes. The RNC isolator is a rolling-based isolation system with several integrated features in a single unit providing all the necessary function...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Ismail, Mohammed, Rodellar Benedé, José|||0000-0002-1514-7713, Casas Rius, Joan Ramon|||0000-0003-4473-4308
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2016
País:España
Institución:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repositorio:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/87564
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2117/87564
https://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/1897045
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Bridges--Earthquake effects
Ponts -- Efecte dels terratrèmols
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria civil::Materials i estructures::Tipologies estructurals
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria civil::Geotècnia::Sismologia
Descripción
Sumario:This paper introduces a recent seismic isolation system, named Roll-in-Cage (RNC) isolator, for efficient protection of bridges against destructive earthquakes. The RNC isolator is a rolling-based isolation system with several integrated features in a single unit providing all the necessary functions of vertical rigid support, horizontal flexibility, full stability, hysteretic energy dissipation, and resistance to minor vibration loads. Besides, it is distinguished by a self-stopping (buffer) mechanism to limit the peak bearing displacement under abrupt severe excitations, a linear gravity-based self-recentering mechanism to prevent permanent dislocations after excitations, and a notable resistance to axial tension. A three-span box-girder prestressed concrete bridge is investigated under a set of different destructive real and synthetic earthquakes including near-fault, long-period, and pulse-like ground motions. As a performance measure, the responses of isolated and nonisolated cases are compared. In addition, the RNC isolator's behavior is then compared with those of other isolation systems including HDB, FPS, and LRB. The results confirmed that the RNC isolator has a superior behavior in achieving a balance between the peak displacements and accelerations of the isolated deck, relative other isolation systems, besides being the most (relatively) efficient isolator in the great majority of studies performed.