Abstract
Studied herein is an experimental and analytical assessment on the modeling of pounding behavior in girders of elevated bridges, paying attention to the energy loss and the impact force during the pounding. The effect of rubber shock absorber on the reduction of impact force is also discussed. The pounding of girders is examined experimentally by colliding the two steel specimens each other with relative velocity ranging from 1 (m/s) to 3 (m/s). Experimental results are compared to those through the response analysis carried out by using the spring-mass-dashpot model including the linear spring for the pounding. It is recommended that a nonlinear spring for pounding should be developed in order to consider properly the energy loss during the pounding.
