DYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF MASONRY PIERS FOR BRIDGES

Abstract

The present set of investigation is carried out to study the behaviour of masonry piers for bridges when subjected to free and forced vibration. Available damage data for bridges during past earthquakes in India and abroad is also reviewed briefly. For experimental study, models of a single span of a bridge, resting on the masonry Tiers, one with roller and the other with rocker bearing, are constructed. For finding the effect of variation in the stiffness of the piers on the dynamic properties of the bridge, three sets of piers of different stiffnesses are constructed. Models are tested under free vibration by pulling and releasing and under forced vibration on a shock vibration table. The theoretical verification of the experimental results is also attempted by analysing the bridge pier as a vertical cantilever having different end conditions. The pier is analysed as a bending structure, as a shear structure and as both. The analysis is carried out by replacing the continuous pier by a system of discrete masses. Well known numerical methods named as Mykiested Prohl Method and Holzer Method are used for the solution.