The impact of a PEER funded research project "Advanced Guidelines for Stability Design of Slender Reinforced Concrete Bridge Columns" is highlighted below. The project Principal Investigator (PI) is Michael H. Scott, Professor, Oregon State University. The Co-Principal Investigator is Mark D. Denavit, Assistant Professor, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Download the Research Project Highlight which includes the abstract (PDF)
Research Impact:
Through the development of design recommendations, this project will help engineers design more efficient slender RC columns in bridge structures when compared to approximate methods in AASHTO. Design recommendations will be based on inelastic second order finite element analyses performed using the OpenSees software framework. A new approach for modeling the time-dependent effects of creep and shrinkage in slender RC columns will be developed and validated against published experimental data. Effective stiffness and effective length factors will be assessed along with design limitations and guidance for second order analysis of RC bridge columns. To increase confidence in and applicability of analysis results, modeling recommendations based on OpenSees analyses will be further validated using CSiBridge. Integration of slender RC column experimental data with current PEER databases for cyclic loading of RC columns will be explored and will facilitate the sharing of information and further refinements of second order analysis and design methodologies for bridge structures.