ABSTRACT
Bridges are very important elements in the modern transportation system. Recent earthquakes,
particularly the 1989 Loma Prieta and the 1994 Northridge Earthquakes in California, the 1995
Hyogo-Ken Nanbu Earthquake in Japan, the 1999 JiJi Earthquake in Taiwan, and the 1999 Kocaeli
Earthquake in Turkey, have caused collapse of, or severe damage to, a considerable number of major
bridges [1,2]. Since the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake in California [3], extensive research [4-18] has been
conducted on seismic design and retrofit of bridges in Japan and the United States, especially in California.
