Experimental Validation of Interaction of MSE Abutments with Superstructures under Seismic Loading

In 2013, the Earth Retaining Systems, Substructures, Loads, and General Earthquake Committees issued a joint position on Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Abutments. In that paper, MSE technology was approved for limited use with a traditional abutment or piles. A non-traditional design was not approved pending further research on the seismic performance of MSE bridge abutments which allegedly can be constructed quicker that traditional abutments. This non-traditional design was initially investigated under Task #2493. Task #2539 will continue this investigation in two directions: 1) shake table tests (both longitudinal and transverse directions) of 6 reduced-scale MSE bridge abutment models using a small table (10 × 16 ft.), and 2) three-dimensional (3D) numerical modeling of the seismic performance of these test structures and full-scale MSE abutments.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Sponsor Organizations:

  California Department of Transportation

  Sacramento, CA  United States  95819
• Project Managers:

  Sikorsky, Charles

• Performing Organizations:

  Regents of the University of California, San Diego

  San Diego, CA  United States 
• Principal Investigators:

  Fox, Patrick

• Start Date: 20121109
• Expected Completion Date: 20180131
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge abutments; Bridge design; Bridge superstructures; Earthquake resistant design; Mechanically stabilized earth; Seismicity; Shaking table tests; Structural analysis; Support piles
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Geotechnology; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01620554
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: California Department of Transportation
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jan 4 2017 10:54AM