Abstract:
To study the dynamic response of a large-span reinforced concrete arch bridge under multi-dimensional seismic excitation, a scaled model of a deck-type reinforced concrete arch bridge with a similarity ratio of 1:30 was designed and fabricated. Shaking table tests were conducted on the bridge model using four typical far-field ground motions of Class II sites with both unidirectional (transverse and longitudinal) and tri-directional (transverse, longitudinal and vertical) uniform seismic excitations. Its dynamic responses in terms of acceleration, displacement, and strain were analyzed. The results show that the multi-dimensional ground motions can significantly increase the acceleration response of the arch bridge, but has little effect on its displacement response. It is recommended to address the amplification of vertical acceleration and lateral displacement at the arch crown caused by the multi-dimensional ground motions in the seismic design and analyses of large-span reinforced concrete arch bridges. The acceleration response of the arch bridge model under longitudinal seismic excitation has a significant dynamic amplification effect in the vertical direction, while the displacement response of the arch bridge model under transverse seismic excitation is significantly higher than that under longitudinal excitation. In addition, the higher-order vibration modes of the model are strongly involved under both longitudinal and transverse seismic excitation.