GIRDER END EFFECT ON PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION ACTING ON BRIDGES DUE TO TSUNAMI

Abstract

 This study conducted two-dimensional and also three-dimensional analyses on tsunami forces acting on a girder bridge using OpenFOAM, which is open-source software. The trapped air between the girders affects on the pressure distribution acting on the bridge due to tsunami flow. As the trapped air escaped from girder ends, obtained tsunami loads from the two dimensional analysis was different from the experimental results. The difference was particularly in lift and moment. A three dimensional analysis was necessary to estimate the tsunami loads for girder bridges, which showed good agreement with experimental results.