A Framework For Performance-Based Earthquake Engineering Of Bridge-Abutment Systems

A graphical user interface is developed to combine nonlinear dynamic time history analysis of bridge-abutment-ground systems with an implementation of a performance-based earthquake engineering (PBEE) framework. The user interface builds upon earlier code that allows for analysis of three-dimensional pile foundations in a soil domain under nonlinear monotonic and dynamic loads (OpenSeesPL). Functionality was extended for analysis of multiple suites of ground motions and combination of results probabilistically using the performance-based earthquake engineering framework developed by the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research (PEER) Center. Definition of a two-span bridge, abutments, and underlying ground configuration is greatly facilitated using this new interface. In addition, all stages of the involved analyses are executed in a systematic fashion, allowing the end user to conveniently conduct extensive parametric investigations. In this paper, the analysis framework and the main components of the graphical user interface are presented. Abutment passive earth-pressure resistance to excessive bridge longitudinal displacement is modeled by a newly proposed hyperbolic force-displacement relationship. Using the interface, a representative bridge model is studied under a large ensemble of input ground motion excitations. Overall system response is investigated and the PBEE results are discussed. © 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers