A study on preventing the fall of skew and curved bridge decks by using rubber bearings

The paper deals with preventing the collapse of deck structures of skew and curved bridges during earthquakes, by the means of supporting the bridges by rubber bearings and permitting pounding between the decks and the abutme nts. Seismic response during pounding is characterized by various phenomena , such as the caging of bridge decks between abutments during an earthquake or decks popping out. These behaviors depend on only a small difference in seismic intensity. Regarding the global characteristics of a seismic respo nse, smaller clearance between a deck and its abutments results in smaller impact damage of the abutments as well as lesser deformation of the rubber bearings. Similarly, smaller clearance between a deck and the side blocks r esults in smaller damage. The stiffnesses of the bearings and the stiffness ratio between them control the deck displacement. In short to medium lengt h bridges, zero clearance between a deck and the abutments or the deck and the side blocks is the most effective way in preventing the deck from falli ng and limits the damage to the abutments or the side blocks.