Experimental investigation of the seismic performance of precast post-tensioned segmental bridge piers with stainless energy-dissipating bars

• Published in: Engineering structures Vol. 283; p. 115889
• Main Authors: Fu, Jian-Yu, Ge, Xiao, Li, Jian-Tao, Sun, Zhi-Guo, Qian, Hui, Wang, Dong-Sheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 15.05.2023
• Subjects: Deformation component analysis; Digital image correlation; Precast post-tensioned segmental bridge pier; Quasi-static test; Stainless energy-dissipating bar; Deformation component analysis; Stainless energy-dissipating bar; Precast post-tensioned segmental bridge pier; Quasi-static test; Digital image correlation
• ISSN: 0141-0296; 1873-7323
• DOI: 10.1016/j.engstruct.2023.115889

•Precast post-tensioned segmental bridge piers reinforced by stainless energy-dissipating bars exhibit comparable seismic capacity with piers reinforced by conventional carbon steel.•Concrete cracking and cover spalling of precast post-tensioned segmental bridge piers reinforced by stainless energy-dissipating bars are observed in an earlier stage compared to the control column.•The optical measurement device based on digital image correlation (DIC) can precisely capture the local deformation (i.e. vertical strain) at the plastic hinge area of the specimen.•Deformation component analysis indicates that bottom joint opening contributes about 70% of the total top displacement of the precast post-tensioned segmental bridge pier. The seismic performance of seven precast post-tensioned segmental (PPS) bridge piers is investigated by quasi-static tests in this work. Five piers are reinforced by stainless energy-dissipating bars. Two piers are reinforced by conventional carbon energy-dissipating bars as control specimens. Different reinforcement ratios of energy-dissipating bars are considered. The specimens are tested under different axial loads and prestressing levels. The experimental results are analysed in terms of hysteresis characteristics, damping (energy dissipation), residual displacement, the opening width of the bottom joint and variation of prestressing tendons. With optically measured strain data based on digital image correlation (DIC) theory, the deformation components of the segmental bridge pier are calculated to evaluate the contribution ratios of deformation components to the total top displacement of the pier. It is found that the PPS piers with stainless reinforcement have the comparable seismic capacity, larger deformation capacity and smaller residual displacement compared to the control specimen. The top displacement of the column obtained by deformation component analysis is in agreement with the directly measured displacement. The bottom joint opening contributes the most of the total top displacement (about 70%).