Stress Flow in Railway Pier Based on Tilt Behavior
摘要
This chapter presents a comprehensive numerical analysis of stress distribution within the substructure of the open web girder bridge, employing the actual structural configuration of the open web girder bridge sourced from RDSO. The chapter mainly focuses on uneven pile settlement's effects on pier tilting. The finite element model of the pier was developed in ABAQUS software, utilizing solid elements and multiple uniaxial springs to accurately simulate the bridge piles. The tilting of the pier is incorporated by modifying the axial stiffness of the springs in the finite element model. The observations from the finite element analysis revealed that the induced stresses in the concrete pier frequently exceed the permissible limits, particularly affecting the central pile, which plays a critical role in the overall stability of the substructure. The direct correlation between the induced stresses and the tilting of the pier results was satisfactory. The observations including stress contours and damage case tables, illustrate how pile damage, particularly in the center pile, significantly impacts stress distribution and structural integrity of the structure. The study aims to establish a direct correlation between pier tilt and stress distribution in the substructure, ultimately linking these findings to the level of damage in the bridge infrastructure. The methodologies and conclusions presented correlate tilting parameters to the extent of damage in the pier and provide alert parameters for the safe passage of train traffic.