Enhanced models for three-dimensional analysis of reinforced concrete two-blade slender bridge piers

Sgambi, Luca [UCL] Bontempi, Franco [Università di Roma "La Sapienza"]

A modern conceptual design of a bridge structure should be open to wider criteria, which assure that the structure is endowed with static, dynamic and ductile characteristics sufficient to tackle the seismic events. To the satisfaction of these requirements and to the exploration and to the verification of innovative structural schemes, one must consider refined and subtle analysis formulations and tools. Such a kind of structural scheme is based on the two-blade slender bridge piers. These are elements subdivided into two parts with different geometric and mechanical properties. The first part has a box section, highly stiff; two flexible blades connected at the top compose the second part. The goal of this work is to show the necessity to develop a three-dimensional analysis, the only one able to put in evidence some peculiar structural behavior.