Damage of Highway Bridges Due to The 2011 off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake

National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management Road Department, Bridge and Structures Division Research Center for Disaster Risk Management, Earthquake Disaster Prevention Division Public Works Research Institute Center for Advanced Engineering Structural Assessment and Research CAESAR

Missions of NILIM/PWRI Bridge Reconnaissance Team

Mission 1: Technical Supports for Highway Administrators
Tohoku Regional Development Bureau, Local Governments (Iwate Pref., Ibaraki Pref., Chiba City, Kitakami City, etc.)
STEP. 1 Emergency Inspection Follow-up Inspection

Mission 2: Damage Evaluation and Verification of Design Code

Inspec- Temporary tion Repairs Permanent Repairs

STEP. 2 STEP. 3 Planning of Temporary Temporary Repairs Repairs STEP. 4 Philosophy of Permanent Repairs STEP. 5 Permanent Repairs
Technical Supports

Reconnaissance

(TEC-FORCE)

Technical Supports

Reconnaissance

NILIM / PWRI, CAESAR

(Damage Mechanism)

Technical Supports

Reconnaissance Activity for Highway Bridges

Reconnaissance Area Map Targets (148 Bridges, as of Apr. 25, 2011) Damage Due to Ground Motion Effect Damage Due to Tsunami Effect Damage Due to Soil Liquefaction Effect Reconnaissance Teams NILIM Total of 34 PersonDay CAESAR Total of 79 PersonDay

Categorization of Damage to Highway Bridges

2. Effect of Tsunami

1. Effect of Ground Motion 3. Effect of Soil Liquefaction

Damage Due to Effect of Ground Motion

Bridges Designed Based on Pre-1980 Specifications Damage to RC Columns at Section of Cut-off of Longitudinal Rebars
Shear cracks following flexural failure at section of cut-off of longitudinal rebars

Damage Due to Effect of Ground Motion

Bridges Designed Based on Pre-1980 Specifications

Damage to RC Pier Wall with Small Amount of Reinforcement

Damage Due to Effect of Ground Motion

Bridges Designed Based on Pre-1980 Specifications

Damage to Steel Bearings

Damage of Fix Bearing

Subsidence of Deck End Resulting from Broken Movable Bearing

Damage Due to Effect of Ground Motion

Bridges Designed Based on Pre-1980 Specifications

Damage to Attachment of Bearings

Damage to Pier Top

Damage of Superstructure-side Attachment

Damage to Pier Top

Damage Due to Effect of Ground Motion

Bridges Designed Based on Pre-1980 Specifications

Collapse of Bridge with Pile-bent Columns

Damage Due to Effect of Ground Motion

Bridges Designed Based on Pre-1980 Specifications

Damage of Steel Bridge

Slight Buckling and Crack Observed in Lower Chord Member Damage to Upper Lateral Bracing in Langer Bridge

Retrofitted/Unretrofitted Bridge Piers Located Close

Retrofitted (3-span cont. + 4-span cont. Unretrofitted (3-span cont. + 3-span cont.

about 400m

Damage to Cut-off Section of Long. Rebars

Shear Crack Failure of Movable Steel Bearing No Damage to Piers and Bearings

Damage Due to Effect of Ground Motion

Bridges Designed Based on Post-Kobe EQ Specifications
Damage of Lateral Displacement Stopper (Expansion Joint Protector)

Subsidence of Backfill soil for Abutment

Damage Due to Effect of Ground Motion

Bridges Designed Based on Post-Kobe EQ Specifications
Rupture of Elastomeric Rubber Bearings

Damage Due to Effect of Ground Motion

Subsidence of Embankment for Approaching to Bridge
Cross-railway Bridge

Cross-river Bridge

Subsidence of 20 cm

Subsidence of 40 cm

Damage Due to Effect of Tsunami

Wash Away of All Spans of Girders and Backfill soil of Abutments

Dampers Installed for Seismic Retrofit

Rupture of Elastomeric Bearings

Damage Due to Effect of Tsunami

Wash Away of All Spans of Girders and Backfill soil of Abutments

Displacement Stoppers and Anchor Bars without Damage

Backfill soil of abutment was completely washed away.

Damage Due to Effect of Tsunami

Wash Away of All Spans of Girders, one substructure and Backfill soil of Abutments

Wash Away of Backfill soil for Abutment Wash Away of Steel Girder Upstream

Wash Away of Substructure

Scour of Foundation

Damage Due to Effect of Tsunami

Wash Away of Some Spans of Girders and Backfill soil of Abutments

Wash Away of Backfill soil

Deformation of Side Block of Steel Bearing

Damage Due to Effect of Tsunami

Wash Away of Some Spans of Girders
(Photo Provided from Tohoku Regional Development Bureau, MLIT)

Upside-down Concrete Girder

Damage Due to Effect of Tsunami

Backfill soil of abutments was washed away due to tsunami attack but bridge structure was not washed away.

Damage Due to Effect of Tsunami

Backfill soil of abutments was washed away due to tsunami attack but bridge structure was not washed away. Before Earthquake

(Photo Provided from Tohoku Regional Development Bureau, MLIT)

Scour of Pile Foundation

Temporary Repair by Barry Bridge

(Photo Provided from Tohoku Regional Development Bureau, MLIT)

Damage Due to Effect of Tsunami

Bridge girders were affected by tsunami attack but bridge structure was not washed away.

Damage Due to Effect of Soil Liquefaction

Narrowing Deck-end Gap Resulting from Movement of Abutment

Subsidence of Soil

Subsidence of Soil

Damage Due to Effect of Soil Liquefaction

Failure of Embankment near Bridge

Crack at Seat on Abutment

Subsidence of Backfill soil of Abutment (50-80cm)

Preliminary Summary of Damage to Highway Bridges

1. Damage Due to Effect of Ground Motion
Unretrofitted Bridges Designed Based on Pre-1980 Specifications Damage to RC Columns at Section of Cut-off of Longitudinal Rebars Damage to RC Pier Wall with Small Amount of Reinforcement Damage to Steel Bearings Damage to Attachment of Bearings Collapse of Pile-bent Column Bridges Designed Based on Post-Kobe Earthquake Specifications Almost No Damage except an Example of Rupture of Elastomeric Bearings Embankment for Approaching to Bridge Subsidence of Backfill soil of Abutment

2. Damage Due to Effect of Tsunami

Wash Away of Superstructures Wash Away of Backfill soil of Abutment Scour of Foundation

3. Damage Due to Effect of Soil Liquefaction

Damage to Steel Bearings and Crack to Parapet Wall Narrowing Deck-end Gap Resulting from Movement of Abutment Subsidence of Backfill soil for Abutment

Acknowledgment

Damage investigation was supported by a number of organizations. Special appreciation is extended to Iwate Pref., Ibaraki Pref., Chiba City, Kitakami City, Tohoku Regional Development Bureau, Kanto Regional Development Bureau and Headquarter of MLIT.