Seismic Response Evaluation of Segmental Column–Supported Bridges Crossing Strike–Slip Fault Rupture Zones

Abstract Segmental column–supported bridges (SCSBs) are being adopted more widely in the construction industry owing to their various benefits, e.g., better quality control, shorter construction time, less environmental impact, and smaller residual displacement. With the growing applications of SCSBs, they are more likely to be constructed across active fault rupture zones. However, the behavior of SCSBs during fault rupture events is rarely understood. This paper conducts numerical studies on the seismic responses of SCSBs under across-fault ground motions induced by a strike–slip fault. The seismic responses are evaluated for both SCSBs and the reference monolithic column–supported bridges (MCSBs). Three-dimensional explicit finite-element models are established in LS-DYNA (version R7) for the two bridge configurations. The SCSB and MCSB models are validated by the previous experimental results. The calibrated segmental column model is then assembled within the full bridge framework to investigate its seismic responses. The seismic responses of SCSBs and MCSBs are evaluated by varying fault crossing location, permanent ground displacement, and fault crossing angle, and the corresponding trends are discussed. Numerical results show that SCSBs have superior performance compared to the MCSBs.