Seismic Performance of Bridge Piers with Pile Foundations Under Frozen Soil Conditions

In order to study the effect of permafrost on the seismic performance of bridge piers with pile foundations, a three-dimensional finite element model considering the effect of frozen soil was firstly established. Then the effects of unfrozen soil, seasonal frozen soil and permafrost on the seismic performance of bridge piers with pile foundations were compared and analyzed. The results show that the variation of frozen soil conditions has a great influence on the seismic performance of bridge piers with pile foundations. The presence of frozen soil can greatly enhance the lateral bearing capacity, energy dissipation and initial stiffness of piers with pile foundation, and can improve the deformation capacity of pile-soil system to a large extent. Frozen soil has a great influence on the distribution of pile foundation displacement. It is found that permafrost can significantly reduce the displacement of pile base, while seasonal frozen soil can significantly reduce the displacement of pile head.