DeckInclined Bridges with

Spread Foundations

Members:

Outline
Background
Objectives
Mechanisms of the Foundation
Seismic Performances

Future Work

Background
Past cases

Kobe Earthquake, 1995

Sichuan Earthquake, 2008 Chi-Chi Earthquake, 1999

Background
Failure states
In the upper structure: pounding, unseating ()
In the lower structure: overturn, settlement

Background
Seismic Rocking Isolation on spread foundation
Normal

Rocking Isolation

Objectives
1. To understand the effect of rocking isolation by
using Vector Form Intrinsic Finite Element analysis.
2. To find which parameter will affect the results. For
example, the slope.
3. Try to improve the earthquake resistance of the
bridge.

Mechanisms of Spread Foundation

A spread footing is simply an enlargement of a load-bearing
wall or column that makes it possible to spread the load of
the structure over a larger area of the soil.
In soil with low load-bearing capacity, the size of the spread
footings required is impracticably large.

Mechanisms of Spread Foundation

Zone I : Rankine active zone
Zone II : Radial shear zone
Zone III : Rankine passive zone

III

II

II

III

qu c cs cd ci N c qqs qd qi N q 2 s d i BN

where cs , qs , and s shape factors

cd , qd , and d depth factors

ci , qi , and i inclination factors

General Bearing
Capacity Equation

Seismic Performances of Spread

Foundation
Rocking Effect

Spread foundation

rocking

rocking

Pile foundation
rupture

Future Work References

Seismic performance of bridge with spread footing.
Nonlinear interaction between foundation and
underlying soil
Dynamic test of bridges considering rocking
effort

Future Work Analysis

VFIFE (Vector Form Intrinsic Finite Element)
Superior to the traditional finite element
Dynamic analysis
Nonlinear and discontinuous approach
Large rigid body motions and large deformations
t
r (t )
t0
d

d 0
x

r (t )

t0

Structural
Mass particle element
VFIFE, Ting, E. C. et al. 2004, Taiwan

Future Work- Analysis

VFIFE Model
Three two-span continuous bridges

External column
Internal column

Thanks for your attention