Design, Construction, and Shake Table Testing of a Steel Girder Bridge System with ABC Connections

Abstract

A shake table experiment of a large-scale, two-span accelerated bridge construction (ABC) bridge model with steel superstructure incorporating six of the more promising ABC connections was conducted on shake tables at the University of Nevada, Reno. The objective was to investigate the seismic performance of the ABC connections integrated into a bridge system and to determine whether ABC bridges can demonstrate adequate load path, integrity, and constructability. The bridge model was subjected to successive bidirectional motions simulating a modified version of the Northridge 1994 earthquake record. Test results showed that the ABC bridge emulated the behavior of cast-in-place bridge columns by undergoing large inelastic deformations in a ductile manner by forming plastic hinges and extensive yielding of the longitudinal bars in the columns. Structural integrity was maintained in all connections through various earthquake levels. Construction procedure of the bridge model ensured the feasibility of handling and connecting different prefabricated members.