Impact Tests of Model RC Columns by an Equivalent Truck Frame

An equivalent frame is developed to simulate the effect of a large-size truck colliding with a reinforced-concrete column. The surrogate frame is made of simple steel elements and blocks, representing the major features of a reference truck. Equivalence between the frame and actual truck is achieved by comparing their deformation versus internal energy relationships. The equivalent truck frame is scaled down and used in laboratory tests to study the collision process between trucks and bridge piers, thereby significantly reducing the difficulty and cost of conducting full-scale collision tests while maintaining high fidelity. Using the scaled surrogate frames, three drop-weight impact tests are conducted on circular reinforced-concrete model columns. Test results show that the structural responses of the columns are not only influenced by the impact energy itself but also the impact speed and impactor mass. Finite-element simulations of the collision process are conducted using both the equivalent truck frame and the reference truck, confirming the overall similarity between them.

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