INTERNATIONALJOURNALOFCIVILAND STRUCTURALENGINEERING

Volume2,No 2,2011
Copyright2010AllrightsreservedIntegratedPublishingservices

Researcharticle

ISSN 0976 4399

ModelingandanalysisofathreespannedconcreteDeck girderbridge
underseismicloading
ZasiahTafheem1,KhanMahmudAmanat2
1Lecturer,DepartmentofCivilEngineering,AhsanullahUniversityofScienceand
Technology,Dhaka1208,Bangladesh
2Professor,DepartmentofCivilEngineering,BangladeshUniversityofEngineeringand
Technology(BUET), Dhaka1000,Bangladesh
zasiah_tafheem@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
This research paper presentsthe results of a research work aimed atthe analysis of athree
spanconcretedeckgirderbridgeunderseismicloading.Afiniteelementmodeltoanalyzethe
deck girder bridge has been developed by using finite element software ANSYS. This
researchworkhasbeencarriedoutintwosteps.Inthefirststep,athreedimensionalmodelof
thebridgehasbeensubjectedtoequivalentstaticearthquakeloadingbyfollowingAASHTO
code. In the second step, Response Spectrum analysis has been performed. Then the design
forces and moments at column bases of the bridge are obtained by using the above two
methods.Finallyacomparativestudyofthedesignvalueshasbeenperformedbetweenthose
two methods. From the study it has been found that the magnitudes of the axial forces are
almost same in two methods butthe design moments and shear forces vary significantly. In
caseofdesignmoment,theresultfoundfromresponsespectrummethod(RSM)isabout1.74
timesofthedesignvalueobtainedfromequivalentstaticforcemethod(ESFM).Thereforeit
can be said thatthere is a possibility of achieving under design of the bridge if the seismic
analysis followstheESFM.Basedonoverall findings, itcanbesuggestedthattheresponse
spectrummethodshouldbeperformedforseismicloadanalysisofthebridgetoachievemore
reliableandsaferdesign.
Keywords: Bridgedynamics,Deckgirderbridge,Earthquakeloading,Finiteelementmodel,
Responsespectrumanalysis
1.Introduction
The current philosophy behind earthquake resistant design of common structures such as
bridges istoensurethati)hazardstolifebe minimized ii)designgroundmotionshave low
probability of being exceeded during normal lifetime of bridge iii) function of essential
bridges is maintained iv) there are no damages (or only slight but repairable nonstructural
damage)duetodesignearthquakesv)collapseispreventedduringmoresevereearthquakes,
whichisachievedbyensuringductile,ratherthanbrittlebehaviorofthestructuralresponse.
However, if the frequency of the applied seismic load is close to the natural frequency of
vibrationofthebridge,thestructurewillamplifytheloadingandlargepotentiallydestructive
forceswillbegeneratedwithinthebridge(Penzien,J.andWatabe,M.,1975).The1971San
Fernandoearthquakewasamajorturningpointinthedevelopmentofseismicdesigncriteria
for bridges. Earthquake resistant bridge design must ensure that the bridge structure
withstand the lateral forces generated during an earthquake. However,there is no specified
methodtodeterminethedesignforcesaccuratelyfortheseismicload.AASHTOsuggestsan
approximate method using some semiempirical formulas to determine the design seismic

ReceivedonNovember,2011Publishedon November 2011

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ModelingandanalysisofathreespannedconcreteDeckgirderbridgeunderseismicloading
ZasiahTafheem,KhanMahmudAmanat

forces. Apart from that, there are also lots of analysis procedures to determine the design
seismic forces. In this research study, two analysis cases according to AASHTO code I)
EquivalentstaticforcemethodandII)ResponseSpectrumanalysishavebeenconsideredfor
theseismicloadanalysisofthebridge.
Thebehaviorofabridgestructureundertheinfluenceofseismicloadhasbeenamajorpoint
ofinterestforengineersoveralongperiodoftime.Althoughsignificantadvanceshavebeen
achievedinthedesignandconstructionofanearthquakeresistantbridge,numerousgapsstill
remain intheunderstandingoftheseismic behaviorofbridges.The majorobjectivesofthe
researchworkareasfollows:
1. Thepresentstudyisaimedatthebetterunderstandingofthebehaviorofbridgeunder
seismic loading by modeling a concrete deck girder bridge. The finite element
packageANSYSv.10istobeusedforthedevelopmentofthemodel.
2. Toanalyzethelongitudinalandtransverseearthquakegroundmotionofthebridge.
3. To determine the design forces and moments at the column bases following the
equivalentstaticforcemethodandresponsespectrummethod.
4. Tocarryoutacomparativestudyofthedesignforcesandmomentsfoundfromthose
twomethods.
2. Methodologyofthe work
The model of the concrete deck birder bridge having three spans and two bays has been
showninfigure1.Thebridgehasatotalspanlengthof109.728m,columnheightis7.62m.

Figure1:DimensionsofaThreeSpanDeckGirderBridge
The material properties and geometric properties used for modeling the bridge are given in
table1and2respectively.

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ModelingandanalysisofathreespannedconcreteDeckgirderbridgeunderseismicloading
ZasiahTafheem,KhanMahmudAmanat

Table1:Materialpropertiesofconcreteforthebridge
Properties

Unit

Value

Modulusofelasticity

N/m2

20109

Density

N/m3

2645

Poissonsratio

0.2

Dampingratio

5%

Table2:Geometriesofthedeckgirderbridge
Parameters

Unit
Spanofbridge
Totalspanlength
meter
No.ofspan

Lengthofeachspan
meter
Totalwidthofthebridge
meter
Bayofbridge
No.ofbay

Lengthofeachbay
meter
Thicknessoftheslab
meter
Columns
Height
meter
No.ofcolumn

Girders
No.oflongitudinalgirders
Width
meter
Depth
meter
No.ofcrossgirders

Value
109.728
3
36.576
23.774
2
10.668
0.2
7.62
6
9
0.6096
2.438
4

Inthisresearchworkalinearfiniteelementanalysishasbeenperformedusingfiniteelement
software package ANSYS. The finite element analysis includes modeling of deck,
longitudinal and transverse girders, columns of the bridge, application of longitudinal and
transverse earthquake loading using AASHTO code (AASHTO, 1995), generation of finite
elementmesh.Infiniteelementmodeling,twonoddeduniaxialelementhavingsixdegreesof
freedom per node has been used to model girders and columns. The concrete deck of the
bridgehasbeenmodeledusingfournoddedshellelementwithsixdegreesoffreedomateach
node.
Toinvestigatethebridgeunderseismicloading,boundaryconditionsareappliedatthebases
ofthecolumnsandatthetwoendsoftheslab.Allsixdegreesoffreedomarerestrainedatall
basesofthecolumns.Apartfromthat,onlyverticaldisplacementisrestrainedatthetwoends
of the slab except the midpoints of the two ends where both vertical and transverse
displacementsareobstructed.Athreedimensionalviewofthefiniteelementmeshhasbeen
showninfigure2.
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ZasiahTafheem,KhanMahmudAmanat

Figure2:Finiteelementmodelofthedeckgirderbridge
3.Seismicanalysisofthebridge
In the present research study, both equivalent static force method (ESFM) and response
spectrummethod(RSM)havebeenusedforperformingtheseismicloadanalysis.
3.1EquivalentStaticForceMethod
InESFM,theaxialdeformationofthedeckisneglected.Itshouldbenotedthatthebridgeis
idealized sothattheabutmentdoesnotcontributetothelongitudinalstiffness.This isdone
forthepurposeofsimplicityanditisassumedthatthecolumnsaloneresistthelongitudinal
andtransversemotion.Generallyanystructureissubjectedtosimultaneousgroundmotionin
three orthogonal directions. In this analysis method, two horizontal (longitudinal and
transverse) components of motion are accounted and vertical component of the motion is
ignored. The following figures 3a and 3b show the longitudinal and transverse equivalent
staticseismicloadingactingonthebridgemodelrespectively.
However, the equivalent static earthquake loading is evaluated using some semiempirical
equations according to AASHTO guidelines for both longitudinal and transverse directions.
AccordingtoAASHTOcode,incaseoftransverseearthquakemotion,auniformtransverse
loadingP0isappliedoverthelengthofthebridgetoestablishadeflectedshapeforthemodel
thathasbeenshowninfigure4.
598
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ModelingandanalysisofathreespannedconcreteDeckgirderbridgeunderseismicloading
ZasiahTafheem,KhanMahmudAmanat

(a)

(b)

Figure3:Thebridgesubjectedto(a)longitudinaland(b)transverseequivalentstaticseismic
loading

Figure4:Deflectedshapedueto transversestaticloading
ThentheintensityoftheseismicloadingPe(x)isobtainedfromthefollowingequation:
Pe (x)=

bCs
w(x)vs(x)
g

1.2AS
Cs = 2

(1)
(2)

T 3

whereCs =Elasticresponsecoefficient
A=Accelerationcoefficient
S=Sitecoefficient
w(x)= Deadweightperunitlengthofthesuperstructure
vs(x)=Resultingdisplacementatdifferentlocations
T=Periodofthevibrationofthebridge

T = 2p

(3)

P0ga

whereg =Accelerationduetogravity
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ZasiahTafheem,KhanMahmudAmanat

Here, and these3factorsarecalculatedbyevaluatingtheintegralsnumericallyfrom

equation4,5and6respectively.

a = vs ( x)dx
b = w( x)vs (x)dx

(4)
(5)

g = w( x)vs (x)2dx

(6)

Afterapplyingtheequivalentstatic loadingPe(x)tothebridge,theresulting member forces

and moments are combined according to two combination methods as suggested by
AASHTOtocalculatethedesignforcesandmoments.
Loadcombination1:100%forcesormomentsoflongitudinaldirectionalanalysis+30%forces
ormomentsoftransversedirectionalanalysis.
Loadcombination2:30%forcesormomentsoflongitudinaldirectionalanalysis+100%forces
ormomentsoftransversedirectionalanalysis.
In this seismic analysis, load combination 2 controls which is used to determine the design
seismicforcesandmoments.
3.2ResponseSpectrumAnalysis
Modal analysis is a prerequisite to response spectrum analysis. In this analysis, the total
numbers of modes are taken fourteen. As provided in various research outputs the goal of
modal analysis in structural mechanics is to determine the natural mode shapes and
frequenciesofanobjectorstructureduringvibration.Itmustbeensuredthatthetotalnumber
ofmodesextractedshouldbeenoughtocharacterizethestructuresresponseinthefrequency
range of interest. Some of the modal shapes with corresponding natural period of vibration
havebeenshowninfigure5athrough5f.Thefrequencyandtimeperiodfordifferentmodes
ofvibrationaregivenintable3.
Table3: Thefrequencyandtimeperiodfordifferentmodes
Modeof
vibration
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

Frequency
1.1763
2.1743
2.6066
2.6405
2.8069
3.1696
3.6142
3.8531
4.1557
4.4485
5.0191
5.2799
5.4191
5.6421

TimePeriod
(T) insecond
0.8501
0.4599
0.3836
0.3787
0.3563
0.3155
0.2767
0.2595
0.2406
0.2248
0.1992
0.1894
0.1845
0.1772

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ZasiahTafheem,KhanMahmudAmanat

Figure5a:2nd Mode(T=0.4599s)

Figure5b:5th Mode(T=0.3563s)

Figure5c:7thMode(T=0.2767s)

Figure5d:9thMode(T=0.2406s)

Figure5e:12th Mode(T=0.1894s)

Figure5f:14th Mode(T=0.1772s)

Formodalcombination,completequadraticcombination(CQC)methodhasbeenconsidered.
The response spectrum analysis procedure provides maximum responses of the structure
when it is vibrating in each of its significant normal modes. However, because these
maximummodalresponseswillnotoccuratthesametimeduringearthquakegroundmotion,
itisnecessarytouseapproximateproceduretoestimatethemaximumcompositeresponseof
structure.Suchproceduresaretypically basedonanapproximatecombinationof maximum
individual modal responses (M. A. Ansary et al., 2000). A simple and accurate modal
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combination approach that satisfies the requirement is CQC method. This relatively new
methodofmodalcombinationmethodwasfirstpublishedin1981(A.DerKiureghian,1981).
It is based on random vibration theories and has found wide acceptance by most engineers
and has been incorporated as an option in most modern computer programs for seismic
analysis. It is assumed here that the duration of the earthquake shaking is long when
compared to the fundamental period of the structure and the design response spectrum
exhibits slowly varying amplitudes over a wide range of periods that include the dominant
modesofthestructure.
AresponsespectrumrepresentstheresponseofsingleDOFsystemstoatimehistoryloading
function. It is actually a graph of response versus frequency where the response might be
displacement, velocity, acceleration or force. There are two types of response spectrum
analysis1)Singlepointresponsespectrum2)Multipointresponsespectrum.Heresingle
pointresponsespectrumanalysis isperformed.The singlepointresponsespectrumcurve is
showninfigure6a.Fromthefigure,itisobservedthatonlyonespectrumcurveisspecified
at all supports of the model and in this analysis the spectral value, s is considered as
acceleration. Most importantly, for soil type 2 (deep cohesion less or stiff clay soils) and
dampingratioof5%,thenormalizedresponsespectraaccordingtoBNBChasbeenusedat
allsupportsofthebridgemodelwhichhasbeenshowninfigure6b.

(a)
(b)
Figure6:(a)SinglePointResponseSpectra and(b) NormalizedResponseSpectrafor5%
DampingRatio(BNBC,1993)
4.Results
Thelongitudinalandtransverseshearforce,axialforce,longitudinalandtransversemoment,
design moment for centre column obtained from both equivalent static force method and
responsespectrummethodhasbeenshowninthefollowingbargraphsfrom7ato7b:

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ZasiahTafheem,KhanMahmudAmanat

Figure7a: Comparisonfordifferentforcesofcentrecolumn

Figure7b: Comparisonfordifferentmomentsofcentrecolumn
5.Conclusions
Theimportantconclusionsderivedfromthestudyofthethreespandeckgirderbridgearesummarizedas
follows:
a) The axial forces are almost equal for both ESFM seismic analysis and Response
spectrum analysis.
b) InResponseSpectrumanalysisthe longitudinalmomentsofoutercolumnandcentre
column are about206%and 210%ofESFM seismicanalysis respectively.Thusthe
longitudinalmomentforbothcasesvariessignificantly.
c) In Response Spectrum analysis the longitudinal shear forces of outer column and
centrecolumnare240%and245%ofESFMseismicanalysisrespectively.
d) In Response Spectrum analysis the transverse moments of outer column and centre
columnare77%and42%ofESFMseismicanalysisrespectively.
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ZasiahTafheem,KhanMahmudAmanat

e) In ResponseSpectrumanalysisthe transverseshearforcesofoutercolumnandcentre
columnare63%and42%ofESFMseismicanalysis.
Fromthestudy,ithasbeenrevealedthatitismorelikelytoachieveunsafebridgedesignif
theseismicanalysisisfollowedbyequivalentstaticforcemethod(ESFM).Thereforeitcan
beconcludedthatresponsespectrummethod(RSM)shouldbefollowedforseismicanalysis
ofthebridges.
6.References
1. A. Der Kiureghian. (1981), A response spectrum method for random vibration
analysis of MDF system, Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics, Vol 9,
Issue5,pp418435.
2. AASHTO (1995), Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges, Division IA:
SeismicDesign,AmericanAssociationofStateHighwayandTransportationOfficials
th

Inc., 15 Edition, as amended by the Interim Specification Bridges, Washington,

DC.
3. BNBC(1993),BangladeshNational BuildingCode,Chapter2,Loads,Earthquake
Loads.
4. J.Penzien,M.Watabe.(1975),Characteristicsof3DEarthquakeGroundMotions,
EarthquakeEngineeringandStructuralDynamics,Vol 3,pp365373.
5. ManualofANSYSV.10.(1997), Elan ComputerGroup,Inc.,USA.
6. M.A.Ansary,M.A.Noor,S.M.Seraj.(2000),Responsespectrabasedonsimulated

earthquakes: its application and assessment, Journal of Civil Engineering, The

InstitutionofEngineers,Bangladesh,28(1),pp120.

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