A novel seismic‐resistant system for precast segmental bridge columns incorporating a hollow concrete energy‐dissipating unit

Abstract This study presents a novel seismic‐resistant system for precast segmental bridge columns, incorporating a hollow concrete energy‐dissipating (HC‐ED) unit. The HC‐ED unit is designed to enhance energy dissipation and lateral load resistance through the inelastic strains of reinforcement and concrete within the plastic hinge region. A detailed finite element model was developed and validated against experimental data to accurately capture the behavior of conventional precast segmental bridge columns. This validated model was then employed to systematically investigate the proposed system's response under lateral cyclic loads. A comprehensive parametric study investigated the effects of the HC‐ED unit's height ratio, reinforcement ratio, thickness‐to‐diameter ratio, concrete strength, and reinforcement yield strength. The proposed system, integrating the HC‐ED unit, exhibited superior seismic performance compared to conventional precast columns, with increased lateral load capacity and substantial energy dissipation through enlarged hysteresis loops. An optimal configuration was identified, where an HC‐ED unit height ratio of 40%, combined with a 1%–2% reinforcement ratio, provided the best balance between lateral load capacity, energy dissipation, residual displacement, and damage control. Additionally, a new analytical model is introduced, which leverages the concept of superposition to predict the characteristic points of the lateral response of the proposed system.