INVESTIGATION OF DAMAGE ON STRUCTURAL CONNECTIONS OF ARAKAWA WANGAN STEEL TRUSS BRIDGE DURING THE 2011 OFF THE PACIFIC COAST OF TOHOKU EARTHQUAKE

Abstract

 Several structural connections of the Arakawa-Wangan (steel truss bridge in the Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway) were ruptured or heavily deformed during the main shock of 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. The bridge, built in 1978, was under seismic retrofit at the time of the earthquake, but the seismic retrofit plan did not include retrofit of structural connections. In this study, we perform seismic response analysis of the bridge using frame model followed by detailed finite element analysis of the damaged connections and their adjacent structural members. Results of analyses are consistent with the observed damage on connections. This study emphasizes the importance of performance evaluation of steel truss bridge structural connections in the seismic design.