ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: The seismic safety level implied when using the force based design method for proportioning bridge concrete columns is strongly related to the specified value of the Response Modification Factor Rµ used during the design process to account for the nonlinear behavior of the structure. Recent investigations have shown that the presence of high variability in the ground motion characteristics at a site may severely compromise the safety margin in R-C bridge columns when these are designed using the mean value of Rµ. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a rational approach to account for the seismic uncertainties and material variability during the design of bridge structures. To achieve this objective, this paper proposes a probabilistic approach consistent with the LRFD philosophy to select appropriate Rµ values for use during the design of reinforced concrete bridge columns.
