ABSTRACT
In order to study the influence of simulation methods of SSI on the seismic analysis of integral abutment bridges, the 3-D finite element model of an integral abutment bridge was established with the SAP2000 software. The seismic responses of a detailed model and a series of simplified models were obtained through nonlinear time history analysis. Results indicate that: The damping of soil has little effect on the seismic response of the integral bridge and the damping of the soil can be neglected in the seismic analysis of the integral bridge. When PGA is 0.15g and 0.3g, the model using “m” method to simplify pile-soil interaction has higher analysis accuracy. And with the increasing of PGA, the analysis accuracy decreases, but with small change. The model using “m” method to calculate the stiffness of soil behind abutment has high analysis accuracy, and with the increasing of PGA, the accuracy has a decreasing trend but with only a little change, and the error is always within reasonable range. The “m” method is considered to be useful to simplify the pile-soil interaction, especially when the PGA is small. The “m” method is also useful to the simplification of the abutment-soil interaction. SSI simplified simulation method should be selected according to the value of PGA of the earthquake, and considering the analysis accuracy of the seismic response of each component, and also should consider the different sensitivity of the seismic response of different component when different simplified simulation method was adopted.
