Seismic performance of composite rubber bearings for highway bridges: Bearing test and numerical parametric study

This paper investigates the effects of the nonlinear behaviour of isolation pads on the seismic capacity of bridges to identify the parameters of base isolation systems that can be used to improve seismic performance of bridges. A parametric study was conducted by designing a set of bridges for three different soil types and varying the number of spans, span lengths, and pier heights. The seismic responses (acceleration, displacement and pier seismic forces) were evaluated for two structural models. The first model corresponded to the bridges supported on elastomeric bearings with linear elastic behaviour and the second model simulated a base isolated bridge that accounts for the nonlinear behaviour of the system. The seismic demand was represented with a group of twelve real accelerograms recorded on the subduction zone on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. The nonlinear responses under different damage scenarios for the bridges included in the presented study were estimated. These results allow determining the seismic capacity of the bridges with and without base isolation. Results show clearly the importance of considering the nonlinear behaviour on the seismic performance of bridges and the influence of base isolation on the seismic vulnerability of medium size bridges.