Abstract
We conducted a three-dimensional non-linear dynamic analysis on a multispan-connected viaduct with RC piers designed after the Hyogo-ken Nanbu Earthquake using as reference several different types of earthquake motion including a long-period ground motion represented in the recent Tokachi-Oki earthquake and Tokai earthquake which is assumed to occur in the future. We made observations on the relationship between ground motion characteristics and the behavior of RC piers in the connected bridge. Findings were that depending on a support's condition and the size of the bridge, connected viaducts' characteristic period of vibration can become longer and because of the vibration's long-period constituent, ground motion and the connected bridge could produce a resonance phenomenon that could lead to the larger response value from RC piers. We also discovered that 3D fiber model is effective to do a detailed evaluation on the a seismic capacity of RC piers.
