Vulnerability Analysis of an Ultra-High Performance Concrete Cable-Stayed Bridge Equipped with Constraint Devices

Abstract:

Cable-stayed bridges， as crucial joints in transportation networks， of which the towers are vulnerable to experience plastic damage during earthquakes leading to rescue work delay. In this regard， a novel concrete material and a novel constraint device are proposed to enhance the resilience of the cable-stayed bridge system. Beside the new constraint device named SMA （shape memory alloy） cable-based restrainers which were installed in the conventional cable-stayed bridge， the new concrete material named the ultra-high property concrete （UHPC） was casted in the plastic hinges in the tower of the novel cable-stayed bridge system. Two finite element （FE） models of the conventional and innovative cable-stayed bridge systems are established， respectively. A series of far-field and near-field earthquake recorders are used to conduct the vulnerability analysis. The results show that the UHPC material and the SMA cable-based displacement restrainers can improve the resilience of the innovative cable-stayed bridge system with only a slight increase in cost， expanding the application scenarios of the UHPC and the SMA cable-based restrainer.