Performance-based life-cycle assessments of a resilient bridge system equipped with smart bearings

Abstract

A resilient bridge system with smart bearings, that is, shape memory alloy (SMA)-cable-based bearings, is proposed. Its superior resilience property over the conventional bridge system still lacks a practical assessment approach. This paper aims to conduct a comparative performance assessment of both resilient and conventional bridge systems regarding fragility and life-cycle loss aspects. The quasi-static test on the smart bearing prototype is firstly conducted. The cloud method is subsequently utilized to carry out a fragility assessment on the bridge system with uncertainties (e.g. damping, mass, friction factor, and length of slack cable). The result shows that the damage probabilities of the smart bearing at component level and the resilient bridge at system level are both dramatically alleviated although there is a moderate increase of the reinforced concrete pier at component level. Additionally, the analysis result reveals that the life-cycle economic loss of the resilient bridge system is remarkably reduced only at the cost of a slight increment in construction. This study tries to provide decision-makers with a more comprehensive understanding of the seismic superiority of the proposed resilient bridge system with smart bearings and to promote its application in engineering practice for resilience enhancement.

Probabilistic life‐cycle environmental impact of conventional and emerging steel frames in seismic zones

“…[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29] The self-centering action is often driven by specially designed members such as beam-to-column connections and braces aided by post-tension (PT) tendons or other alternative solutions such as high-performance springs and shape memory alloys (SMAs). [30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41] Compared with conventional yielding systems, a self-centering structure ensures practically negligible residual inter-story drift and preferably limited/controlled structural damage, a unique property which significantly reduces necessary post-earthquake repair work and hence related carbon emission. 42,43 However, there is currently a lack of awareness about the environmental impact of self-centering structures, and to the authors' best knowledge, no information is currently available for qualifying their potential benefits in reducing life-cycle carbon emission in seismic zones.…”

“…Self‐centering structures are a class of emerging lateral force resisting systems capable of recovering inelastic structural deformation after earthquakes 18–29 . The self‐centering action is often driven by specially designed members such as beam‐to‐column connections and braces aided by post‐tension (PT) tendons or other alternative solutions such as high‐performance springs and shape memory alloys (SMAs) 30–41 . Compared with conventional yielding systems, a self‐centering structure ensures practically negligible residual inter‐story drift and preferably limited/controlled structural damage, a unique property which significantly reduces necessary post‐earthquake repair work and hence related carbon emission 42,43 .…”