Seismic Performance Analysis of RC Bridge Substructures using Pushover Method


Authors : Md. Ashfaqur Rahman; Sifwat Alvi Rahman

Volume/Issue : Volume 10 - 2025, Issue 6 - June


Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/26ndjs54

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25jun006

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.


Abstract : Bridges serve as critical transportation infrastructure, yet many older reinforced concrete bridges lack adequate seismic design, leaving them vulnerable to moderate earthquakes due to insufficient shear capacity, poor confinement, and limited transverse reinforcement. In seismically active Bangladesh—a river-dense region with no bridge-specific seismic code—this study addresses the gap by integrating (BNBC, 2020) hazard data with (AASHTO, 2020) LRFD design provisions for bridge substructures. The research evaluates soil-structure interaction effects, particularly on soft soils, and assesses seismic performance under varying earthquake intensities. Results demonstrate that AASHTO-compliant designs, adapted with BNBC seismic parameters, meet safety objectives for bridge piers in Bangladesh, providing a validated framework for regions lacking localized codes. Future work should explore advanced soil modeling and nonlinear time-history analysis to further refine seismic resilience.

Keywords : Seismic Performance, Bridge Substructure, Soil-Structure Interaction, AASHTO LRFD, BNBC 2020, Pushover Analysis, Fiber Hinges, Performance-Based Design, Bangladesh Bridges, Nonlinear Static Analysis.

References :

  1. AASHTO. Guide Specifications for LRFD Seismic Bridge Design, 6th ed. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Washington, D.C., 2012.
  2. AASHTO. Guide Specifications for LRFD Seismic Bridge Design, 9th ed. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Washington, D.C., 2020.
  3. API. Geotechnical and Foundation Design Consid erations, API 2GEO, 1st ed. American Petroleum Institute, 2011.
  4. Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC). Housing and Building Research Institute (HBRI), Ministry of Housing and Public Works, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2021.
  5. R. Bazaez and P. Dusicka, "Seismic retrofitting of reinforced concrete bridge bents utilizing hysteretic dampers," in 16th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Santiago, Chile, 2017.
  6. Federal Emergency Management Agency. Improv ement of Nonlinear Static Seismic Analysis Procedures (FEMA 440). Washington, D.C., June 2005.
  7. Federal Highway Administration. Seismic Retrofitting Manual for Highway Structures: Part I—Bridges. U.S. Department of Transportation, McLean, VA, 2006.
  8. M. Fawad, K. Kalman, R. Khushnood, and M. Usman, "Retrofitting of damaged reinforced concrete bridge structure," Procedia Structural Integrity, vol. 18, pp. 189-197, 2019.
  9. Y.D. Hose and F. Seible, Performance Evaluation Database for Concrete Bridge Components and Systems Under Simulated Seismic Loads. Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center, 1999.
  10. National Cooperative Highway Research Progr am. Performance-Based Seismic Bridge Design, NCHRP Synthesis 440. Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 2013.
  11. A. Parghi and M.S. Alam, "Seismic behavior of deficie nt reinforced concrete bridge piers confined with FRP," Engineering Structures, vol. 126, pp. 531-546, 2016.

Bridges serve as critical transportation infrastructure, yet many older reinforced concrete bridges lack adequate seismic design, leaving them vulnerable to moderate earthquakes due to insufficient shear capacity, poor confinement, and limited transverse reinforcement. In seismically active Bangladesh—a river-dense region with no bridge-specific seismic code—this study addresses the gap by integrating (BNBC, 2020) hazard data with (AASHTO, 2020) LRFD design provisions for bridge substructures. The research evaluates soil-structure interaction effects, particularly on soft soils, and assesses seismic performance under varying earthquake intensities. Results demonstrate that AASHTO-compliant designs, adapted with BNBC seismic parameters, meet safety objectives for bridge piers in Bangladesh, providing a validated framework for regions lacking localized codes. Future work should explore advanced soil modeling and nonlinear time-history analysis to further refine seismic resilience.

Keywords : Seismic Performance, Bridge Substructure, Soil-Structure Interaction, AASHTO LRFD, BNBC 2020, Pushover Analysis, Fiber Hinges, Performance-Based Design, Bangladesh Bridges, Nonlinear Static Analysis.

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