Sustainability and Resilience Assessment of a Reinforced Concrete Bridge Subjected to Liquefaction-Induced Lateral Spreading

Abstract

Carbon footprint considerations have become one of the significant concerns in the construction and rehabilitation of public infrastructure. As such, sustainability metrics using carbon footprint are of particular significance to stakeholders of lifeline infrastructure systems, including bridges, under extreme events. This study aimed to assess the sustainability and resilience of a two-span reinforced concrete bridge under liquefaction and associated ground deformations. For that purpose, a comprehensive three-dimensional (3D) nonlinear finite-element (FE) framework combined with the formulation of performance-based earthquake engineering (PBEE) and economic input-output life-cycle assessment approach was developed. In terms of the estimated post-earthquake repair cost, repair time, and carbon footprint, seismic resilience and robustness of the bridge subjected to liquefaction-induced lateral spreading were explored. Within this holistic framework, the variations in PBEE results for bridges founded on different ground conditions were examined. Furthermore, this study delved into the effects of hydraulic conductivity on a bridge’s sustainability and resilience. It is shown that an increase in hydraulic conductivity can noticeably reduce the post-earthquake repair cost, repair time, and carbon footprint, thus improving the robustness and resilience of the bridge. Overall, the derived insights reveal the need to incorporate sustainability and resilience analysis techniques when addressing seismic hazards and associated liquefaction-induced deformations.