01658067

Component

Due to the increase of accidental vehicle collisions, the risk of bridge pier failure has increased rapidly. To minimize the damage and prevent collapse caused by vehicle collisions, suitable strengthening techniques should be developed for existing bridge piers. A number of studies have proved the effectiveness of strengthening of RC structures using CFRP composites subjected to blast loads. However, application of CFRP in strengthening RC piers to resist impact loads such as vehicle collision is still understudied. In this paper, a numerical analysis of CFRP-composite-strengthened RC bridge piers is carried out to investigate the structural response in the event of vehicle collision. Structural response analysis is performed using commercial software LS-DYNA package. The FE modeling techniques used in this study are first validated with the analytical and experimental results available in the literature. Impact simulations are then performed with different vehicle velocities. The performance of the pier is analyzed using the damage plots and displacement variation along the height of the pier. Several parameters critical to the CFRP strengthening of RC piers, such as CFRP thickness, bond length and anchorage system are investigated in detail. Increase in CFRP thickness and bond length significantly enhances the impact load resistance of the RC piers under consideration. This study also reveals that it is not necessary to wrap the full length of the column to resist the impact loads. The numerical results show that external anchoring can further enhance the composite action of CFRP strengthened RC piers.

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AFF30 Standing Committee on Concrete Bridges. Alternate title: Numerical Investigation of CFRP-Composite-Strengthened RC Bridge Piers against Vehicle Collison. Alternate title: Numerical Investigation of CFRP-Composite-Strengthened RC Bridge Pier against Vehicle Collison.

18-03991

English

16p

2018

Transportation Research Board 97th Annual Meeting

Digital/other

Figures; References

Bridge piers; Carbon fibers; Fiber reinforced polymers; Highway bridges; Numerical analysis; Traffic crashes

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer

Bridges and other structures; Highways; Safety and Human Factors

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2018 Paper #18-03991

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Jan 8 2018 10:59AM