Response Modification Factor and Seismic Fragility Assessment of Skewed Multi Span Continuous Concrete Girder Bridges

Abstract

Skewed bridges, being irregular structures with complicated dynamic behavior, are more susceptible to earthquake damage. Reliable seismic resistant design of skewed bridges can be achieved by accurate determination of nonlinear seismic demands. However, the effect of geometric characteristics on the response modification factor (R factor) is not accounted for in bridge design practices. This study attempts to investigate the effects of changes in the number of spans, skew angle and bearing stiffness on R factor values and to assess the seismic fragility of skewed bridges. Results indicated that changes in the skew angle had no significant effect on R factor values which were in consonance wi..