Finite Element Analysis of Highway Bridges Subjected to Hurricane Storm Surge via the AMBUSH Framework

Abstract

Bridge damage and failure due to the effects of hurricane-generated storm surge is well documented. Over the past ten to fifteen years, research efforts have been undertaken to improve understanding of storm surge effects on bridges and explore how best to mitigate these effects. This paper documents development and assessment of a finite element analysis framework named AMBUSH that calculates forces applied to bridges subjected to storm surge loading. AMBUSH was shown to be capable of calculating reaction forces for a Biloxi Bay Bridge span for 14 storm events representing 5 storm categories. Simulation results compared favorably to American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Guide Specifications that were released relatively soon after Hurricane Katrina. Deviations of AMBUSH could be applied to other bridge or structural engineering problems with manageable reconfiguration.