Shake Table Tests on RC Double-Column Bridge Piers with Self-Centering Energy Dissipation Braces

Excessive residual displacements to the bridge structures were repeatedly observed after many previous major earthquakes, which may make the bridge structure lose its functionality and may have to be demolished and rebuilt. Reducing the residual deformation of bridge structures after a severe earthquake is a key research direction in earthquake engineering. Applying self-centering energy dissipation (SCED) braces to dissipate seismic energy and reduce the residual displacement is considered a good solution. Some research works have been carried out to investigate the seismic performance of double-column bridge piers equipped with SCED braces. However, these studies focused on the quasi-static behavior of the bridge piers only, and no previous study investigated their real dynamic response. This study investigates the seismic performance of reinforced concrete (RC) double-column bridge piers with SCED braces through shake table tests. Three 1/5 scaled bridge piers were designed, fabricated, and tested. In particular, the SCED brace was first designed based on the quasi-static performance of the bridge pier. The designed brace was then installed onto the bridge pier, and shake table tests were performed to explore the dynamic response of the bridge pier. For comparison, a bare bridge pier without a brace was also tested. The experimental results showed that the SCED brace could effectively protect the bridge pier from damage and minimize residual displacement.