Title: Seismic Performance of an Innovative Concrete Pier Reinforced with Titanium Alloy Bars

Author(s): Mahesh Acharya

Publication: Web Session

Volume: ws_S22_Acharya2.pdf

Issue:

Appears on pages(s):

Keywords:

DOI:

Date: 3/28/2022

Abstract:
The research introduces Titanium Alloy Bars (TiABs) for flexural and transverse reinforcing in new bridge piers located in seismic zones. TiABs offer higher strength, good ductility, excellent durability, and enhanced fatigue-resistance compared to traditional reinforcing bars. Application of TiABs in bridge piers can increase service life, reduce rebar congestion, yield to lower overstrength factor, and smaller residual displacement following an earthquake. The research focuses on the applications of TiABs in construction of new bridges located in seismic and corrosive environment. The concept for an innovative bridge pier system is introduced. The pier incorporates both seismic resiliency and durability in a single package. An approximately 1/3rd scale bridge pier reinforced with TiABs rebars and spirals is tested under quasi-static cyclic loading protocol to investigate seismic performance. Results are compared against a benchmark specimen reinforced with normal steel rebars and spirals. Testing results showed that the pier reinforced with TiABs achieved higher levels of displacement ductility and had lower residual displacements compared to the pier reinforced with conventional steel. The pier with TiABs had less energy dissipation but was able to accommodate more cycles of inelastic deformation. Furthermore, more cracking was observed in the plastic hinge zone and up height of the benchmark pier compared to the pier with TiABs. The pier reinforced with TiABs exhibited gap opening (rocking) at the column-to-footing interface with more bond-slip, partially due to the use of smooth TiABs.