Seismic performance of prestressed girder bridges considering soil-pile-structure interaction and isolation systems

This article presents a comprehensive numerical study to determine the seismic performance of the Kirazlıyalı Çenesuyu Bridge, currently in service in Kocaeli, Türkiye, under both seismically isolated and non-isolated conditions, considering different soil types. The study holds great importance due to Kocaeli’s status as one of Türkiye’s most developed industrial regions, its location in a high-seismic-risk area, and its complex geological structure. The Kirazlıyalı Çenesuyu Bridge is a structure consisting of simply supported prestressed girders, commonly used in highway transportation networks. Designed as a twin bridge, the structure is 134 meters in length and 20 meters in width. Currently, the bridge is not equipped with seismic isolators; instead, its superstructure rests on elastomeric bearings over abutments and piers. Within the scope of this study, the bridge was retrofitted with Single Curved Friction Pendulum (SCFP) seismic isolators. These SCFP isolators were specifically designed in accordance with the Turkey Building Earthquake Code (TBEC-2019) standards for two distinct soil classes: ZA (hard rock) and ZC (very dense sand and gravel). The soil-pile interaction was simulated using single-parameter Winkler spring models in both horizontal and vertical directions. The Finite Element Model (FEM) of the bridge was developed in SAP2000 software, and analyses were conducted on this platform. The seismic performance of the bridge was assessed through nonlinear dynamic time history analyses using real earthquake ground motion records from the Imperial Valley, Kocaeli, and Kahramanmaraş (Pazarcık) earthquakes under various scenarios. The seismic responses of the bridge were examined in terms of base shear forces, lateral displacements of the pile, shear forces at the pier, bending moments at the pier, deck accelerations, and the hysteresis curves of the isolator. The study results demonstrate significant improvements in the seismic behavior of the bridge when equipped with the seismic isolation system. Furthermore, these improvements are shown to be directly influenced by the interaction of the structure-pile-soil system, as well as the compatibility between the frequency characteristics of this system and the frequency content of the imposed earthquake. The numerical data supporting these results are presented in the relevant sections through tables and graphs.