Assessment of Seismic Response of Masonry Piers and Characterization of their Seismic Damage under Dynamic Load Simulations

Abstract

This research intends to the formulation of a finite element model for predicting the seismic response of masonry bridge piers. Cyclic load simulations are to be applied to the model and the stress-strain hysteretic graphs and contour plots of base shear, isolation system displacements, strain-energies and lateral drift are to be examined to have an insight into variation of dynamic response with increase in the forcing functions. This would also provide knowledge about the type of damage the structure underwent and characterization of this damage. Alternatively, the data obtained can also be beneficially employed for economically viable retrofitting/strengthening of such bridges (or other structures). Keeping in view the abundance of masonry buildings/bridges (both brick and stone) in Pakistan, a thorough and in-depth understanding of masonry structures is needed. Earthquakes had brought huge significance to the evaluation of buildings/bridges for their performance in events of ground motions. Experiments on models of masonry buildings/bridges have been performed in the past but the results are largely applicable only to the type of structures that resemble, in material and testing conditions, with the tested models. Numerical modeling of masonry is a demanding task but it provides researcher with the room to evaluate the behavior of such structures for a diverse set of loading conditions and for a variety of materials having different mechanical properties. This very diversity justifies this research’s FEM based dynamic analysis of masonry structures, including bridges. Such type of FEM model is also a tool that can cater for the demand of analysis of a high number of different buildings/bridges with geometry and material varying from each other. The model can hence be modified accordingly for such structures and results can be obtained with convenience regarding the characterization of damage to such structures.