Seismic Energy Distribution in Multi-span Reinforced Concrete Bridges

Abstract

Seismic energy quantification is crucial for assessing structural damageability, offering insights into how energy dissipates through hysteresis, damping, kinetic, and strain mechanisms. This study aims at evaluating the different energies distribution for a typical multi-span continuous reinforced concrete (RC) bridge. The geometric and material nonlinearities were considered, and the non-linear dynamic analysis was performed. The seismic energy quantification was carried out for all the major components, including columns, bearings, shear keys, and piles. Results indicate that energy dissipation varies significantly among components. Bearings were identified as the most effective energy-dissipating component under the examined seismic records. Collectively, a significant portion of the cumulative energy is dissipated by damping (approximately 62%), followed by hysteretic energy (approximately 38%) for the global bridge system.