Abstract
This study summarized the idea to improve seismic performance of middle-size bridges installing additional rubber bearings with pre-share deformation on both abutments, which called “Pre-Shear Deformation System”. In general, seismic performance of abutment in the back-filling direction is more redundant than in the front direction (bridge direction), because the seismic resistant by back-filling earth structure can be expected. Therefore, seismic performance of bridges expects to improve if pre-stressed force is installed by rubber bearings with pre-share deformation in the back-filling direction. In this study, this system is adapted to the existing 2-span continuous steel girder bridge and case studies on dynamic analysis are conducted under Level 2 earthquake. As a result, seismic performance of the bridge can be most effectively improved using Lead Rubber Bearing (LRB), although seismic performance of abutments in the back-filling direction can’t meet the required specification. In addition, it is also found that seismic performance of the bridge using this system is greatly affected by the characteristic of the back-filling soils.
