Experimental study on seismic performance of large-diameter grouted sleeve connections and precast bridge piers

Large-diameter grouted sleeve connections are extensively used in the assembly of bridge substructures. They are responsible for ensuring structural integrity and they must also withstand seismic loads effectively. However, few studies and industry standards have focused on the seismic performance of large-diameter grouted sleeve connections or their related structures. In this study, uniaxial tensile, high-stress, and large-strain cyclic loading tests were conducted on grouted sleeve connections with rebar diameters of 32 and 40 mm to explore their mechanical and seismic performances. The findings revealed that with a sufficient rebar anchorage length, large-diameter grouted sleeve connections experienced rebar tensile fracture failure, and their bearing and deformation capacities met the seismic requirements. Nevertheless, the ductility of the grouted sleeve connections decreased significantly under strong seismic actions. Then, A three-dimensional refined finite element model of the grouted sleeve connection was established, and the numerical simulation results were consistent with the experimental results. In addition, two precast bridge piers connected by grouted sleeve connections using rebar diameter of 40 mm and a cast-in-place bridge pier were fabricated, and the failure modes, hysteresis performance, displacement ductility of them were compared and analyzed through the quasi-static cyclic loading test. The results demonstrate that although the failure modes of precast bridge pier and cast-in-place bridge pier are different, their bearing capacity and displacement ductility are comparable.