Modeling Plastic Hinging Regions in Reinforced Concrete Bridge Columns

Abstract

Examining the spread of plastic deformations at various stages of loading is a complicated problem for bridge structures under multi axial dynamic loading. A detailed three dimensional nonlinear finite element model of a bridge column was developed using the computer program ABAQUS and the model was compared with the measured displacement results along the column of a bridge system subjected to dynamic biaxial loadings in an earthquake simulator. The bridge system was subjected to a series of test trials with increasing earthquake intensities. Computer simulations were performed for complete trials in order to provide information about the variation in the spread of plasticity. According to the results, it was observed that changes in the length of plastic hinging regions on the bridge column depend on the strain in the longitudinal reinforcement.