ADAPTATION MANAGEMENT OF COASTAL BRIDGES SUBJECTED TO EXTREME WAVES CONSIDERING CLIMATE CHANGE

Coastal bridges are crucial traffic components and vital to the social economy. However, they are susceptible to enlarging risks from hurricane-induced surges and waves due to the increasing temperature and humidity, rising sea-level, and amplification of hazard intensities. An understanding of how to mitigate the potential risks of coastal bridges from natural hazards is a critical step toward reliable transportation systems; while relative adaptation measures were seldom discussed. This study conducts a comprehensive analysis of the effects of different adaptation measures to help the bridge resist hurricane-induced risks under climate change scenarios. The long-term loss assessments associated with different retrofit measures are evaluated by considering deep uncertainty in future climate change. Different retrofit measures are investigated and compared, including inserting air venting holes, enhancing connection strength, and elevating bridge structures. Specifically, a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model is established to compute wave-induced forces on the coastal bridge. Vulnerability curves are derived based on the deck unseating failure mode, and long-term losses are assessed considering the stochastic occurrence of hurricanes and climate change scenarios. The effects of retrofit adaptations on reducing long-term losses are examined and compared according to the proposed framework. Such a study results in systematic evaluations of different adaptation measures, which could help optimal and robust designs of coastal bridges and modifications of existing ones.