Seismic Performance of a Soil-Pile-Bridge: Three-Dimensional Finite Element Simulation

Soil-Structure Interaction (SSI) is involved in the seismic performance of pile-supported bridge. Such effect includes soil-pile interaction driven by the deformation of pile and surrounding soil. This interaction might be further pronounced due to large soil deformation during earthquake. To capture this characteristic, a three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) simulation is conducted considering soil-pile interaction along with the corresponding numerical details. The prototype system of a two-span reinforced concrete bridge with a single pier is demonstrated in multi-layered clay. The overall seismic response of the coupled soil-pile-bridge system are systematically investigated. The simulated results showed that the inertial effect of superstructure and transversal configuration of bridge significantly influence the pile response. The analysis technique as well as the derived insights are of significance to general pile-supported bridge system configurations.