A STUDY ON BEHAVIOUR OF BRIDGE PIERS IN VARIOUS SEISMIC ZONAL CONDITIONS

Bridge Pier, supports the superstructure of the bridge and transfers the load from the superstructure to foundation. The design of piers is majorly based on IRC: 112 design principles and experience of a structural designer in taking dimensions initially and makes essential checks to follow the design codes. Indian code doesn't mandate capacity based design that leads to use of formation of plastic hinges at appropriate locations in a pier. The response reduction factor in seismic design plays a vital role in pier's nonlinear behaviour as well as the structural performance. Evaluation of R factor for a simply supported bridge with a cantilever hammered head pier by considering various parametric studies like effect of span length, carriageway width and pier height in order to evaluate the R factor in various seismic zonal conditions. In this study, constant parameters that are considered are foundation system i.e. Open foundation system with Hard Strata and superstructure loading conditions according to IRC: 6-2017. In this paper objective is to examine the application of Reduction factor. Necessary superstructure and substructure analysis is performed for assessment of reduction factor by carrying out a non-linear static pushover analysis. It was observed that the ductility and over strength factors for various seismic zonal conditions were observed to be decreasing as the zone factor increased which affected the pier's R factor.