2012 Volume 29 Issue 2 Pages 56s-68s
This work deals with influence of bi-directional cyclic displacement loading on the ductility of hollow circular steel columns and to develop a seismic verification method for bridge piers, with pipe sections, when subjected to coupling action of two horizontal earthquake components. For this purpose, nonlinear numerical analyses are performed on Finite Element models by setting radius-thickness ratio and slenderness ratio as main design parameters. The strain-based ductility formulas are developed separately for uni- and bi-directional cyclic loadings, and based on these formulas a seismic verification method is proposed. To confirm this method, nonlinear dynamic analyses are carried out on three different beam element models of bridge piers. The deformation and strain performances are evaluated by displacement-based and strain-based methods. The comparative study shows that the strain-based seismic verification method is critical than displacement-based method. Further, comparison between allowable values given by past ultimate strain formula indicates that the formulas developed in the present study are more adequate for use in seismic verification of circular steel bridge piers when subjected to two directional earthquake components at the same time.
