SEISMIC RETROFIT STUDY OF BRIDGES AT NCREE

This paper presents the progress of a NCREE’s research program on seismic retrofit of existing bridges in Taiwan since 1998. The first phase of studies include testing and analyzing more than sixty large-scale specimens which were designed and constructed to simulate the worst scenario of the construction practice in Taiwan prior to 1987. Twenty-four of the test columns were used as the benchmark for comparison with other specimens retrofitted or repaired using the carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) jacketing, steel jacketing, and RC jacketing. Experimental results showed that, in general, the retrofit methods used in the U.S. and Japan are effective also effective for the existing RC bridge columns in Taiwan except for the cases of rectangular columns lap spliced at the plastic hinge zone. More research effort is necessary to develop effective methods for RC columns lap-spliced at the plastic hinge zones. Second phase of the study, starting from January 1, 2004, is concerned with the use functional bearing systems to more economically retrofit existing bridges to meet their seismic performance criteria