Design and Detailing Guidelines for Bridge Columns Subjected to Blast and Other Extreme Loads

Abstract

Data collected from intentional acts of terrorism, as well as tragic accidents leading to bridge collapse, have demonstrated the significant impact the loss of a key highway component can have on a community, region, or even nationally, both in terms of financial implications and societal concerns. Such events, while infrequent, need to be considered by structural engineers in order to provide safe and resilient bridges for the travelling public. This paper presents design and detailing guidelines for reinforced concrete bridge columns subjected to blast loads. The guidelines are based on an extensive research program involving half-scale bridge columns subjected to close-in blasts as well as detailed finite element modeling. To evaluate how design approaches for other loading cases respond when subjected to blast, column specimens included those based on typical seismic detailing in addition to "gravity-only" cases. Furthermore, columns designed specifically for blast were also tested. Based on the findings from this research, design provisions for columns subjected to extreme loads have been developed.