Dynamic Behaviors of Double-Column RC Bridge Subjected to Barge Impact

This chapter focuses on investigating the dynamic responses and damage patterns of a prototype inland double-column RC bridge when impacted by a barge. Firstly, using a horizontal collision testing facility, repeated impacts at varying velocities were performed using a scaled-down Jumbo Hopper (JH) barge bow model on three specimens of double-column RC bridge piers. This test provided valuable insights into the impact force–time histories, the deformation of the barge bow during collision, and the dynamic behaviors of the impacted as well as adjacent piers. Then, to numerically replicate this experimental setup, refined FE models were established for the barge bow-double-column RC bridge pier collision scenario using the LS-DYNA software. The FE analysis approach, including the material models and parameters, was validated by comparing the simulated results with the test data, such as impact forces, barge bow crush depths, lateral displacement histories, and damage patterns observed in the double-column RC bridge pier specimens. Finally, the analysis was extended to a prototype barge-bridge collision scenario, incorporating the material nonlinearity of the bridge pier and superstructure, soil-pile interactions, and the strain-rate effect. This allowed for a deeper discussion of the impact process and damage patterns exhibited by the bridge during collisions. Additionally, the influence of various factors, including impact velocity, barge mass, and oblique angle, on the dynamic behaviors of the prototype bridge were thoroughly examined.