TRANSIENT ELASTO-PLASTIC RESPONSE OF BRIDGE PIERS SUBJECTED TO VEHICLE COLLISION

Dynamic loading of structures often causes excursions of stresses well into the inelastic range. Bridge piers subjected to collision from an errant truck is one such loading. Owing to heavy traffic conditions coupled with lesser space, authorities are unable to provide enough setbacks around the piers, thus subjecting them to the hazard of a vehicle collision. The present study investigates the dynamic nonlinear response of bridge pier subjected to a collision. A Finite Element Analysis is carried out using a developed code in MATLAB. Dynamic nonlinearity in the material, i.e. concrete is studied. An elasto-plastic response of the pier is obtained by varying the pier geometry, approach velocity of the vehicle and the grade of concrete in pier. The results reveal several quantities. Using these results an attempt is made to quantify the likely damage to the pier post collision. The study is intended to investigate the effect of change in grade of concrete, effect of change in speed and mass of the colliding vehicle considering material nonlinearity.