CYCLIC LOADING TESTS OF A VIADUCT COLUMN EQUIPPED WITH THE COLLAPSE DIRECTION CONTROL DEVICE

Abstract

 This paper investigated the nonlinear behavior of the viaduct column equipped with a new “Collapse Direction Control Device,” or CDC device. The proposed device is used to control the direction of the final collapse of a viaduct to the designated way, by which the residential areas and/or yard for repair would be secured. In this research, series of cyclic loading tests were conducted for a RC column model where the CDC device was embedded on one side. The force-displacement relation and corresponding damage of the column according to the arrangement of the CDC device were investigated. It was found that the CDC device made the shear length of the column shorter, and corresponding reacting forces increased by 20 to 45%. It follows that the CDC device introduced the asymmetric behavior required to artificially control the direction of collapse.