Author(s)

T. Salonikios

Abstract

In order to check and to calibrate Eurocode 8 (part 2), provisions for wall-like piers, the results from the laboratory tests of eleven wall specimens are used. The plastic hinge length that was developed during the experiments is measured and is compared with the plastic hinge length that was calculated according to the provisions of EC8. For these walls the rotation ductilities that result: a) from experimental measurements, b) from the analysis of the cross sections by R.C.COL.A. program, c) from the application of simplified equations are also calculated. For these three groups of curvature ductilities, by the use of measured and calculated plastic hinge lengths, the displacement ductilities are calculated. For these displacement ductilities, the corresponding strength reduction factors are calculated. For this purpose, a simplified methodology is used, by which the inclination of the ascending branch, the strength degradation, the stiffness degradation and the pinching of the force – displacement diagrams of the specimens are taken into account. According to this methodology, a soil profile with stiff or dense soil conditions is considered. For the calculation of the behavior factors the models of two bridges are considered. These two bridges have wall-like piers. This work aims to give an estimation of the fluctuations of the behavior factor due to the variation of the displacement ductility factor (as results by the consideration of different method of estimation). These behavior factors are compared with the behavior factors that are suggested by EC8 (part 2) for R/C bridges with piers of a low aspect ratio. Keywords: wall-like bridge piers, experimental testing, curvature ductility, displacement ductility, hysteretic behavior, behavior factor, Eurocode 8.

Keywords

wall-like bridge piers, experimental testing, curvature ductility, displacement ductility, hysteretic behavior, behavior factor, Eurocode 8.