Base-isolated Bridges Under Seismic Loads: A Numerical Study on the Influence of Different Bearing Systems

The seismic response of bridges seismically isolated by lead-rubber bearings (LRB) or friction pendulum systems (FPS) to earthquake excitations of different magnitudes is discussed in this book. The specific purpose of the study is to assess the effect of seismic isolation on the peak response of bridges subjected to different base accelerations ranging from 0.05 g to 0.5 g in the horizontal direction transversal to the bridge axis. Thus a certain level of efficiency can be shown in respect of the particular bearing modification. Furthermore, the effect of superstructure stiffness (i.e. pier stiffness, pier layout) on the isolator efficiency is investigated in depth. To study the effectiveness of LRB and FPS, the seismic response of isolated bridges is also compared with the response of corresponding nonisolated bridges (i.e. bridges without isolation devices). The book shows well prepared all relevant results and the important links between them.

Mario Rinke, born 1979 in Strausberg near Berlin, studied Structural Engineering at the Bauhaus University in Weimar, Germany. In 2007 he was with engineering consultancy Ramboll Whitbybird in London. Since January 2008 Mario is working at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich where he is working on his PhD research project.