Dynamic response of a tower-pier system on viscoelastic foundation with frictional interface

The response of a bridge tower-pier system resting on elastic soil, with a sliding foundation obeying Coulomb's friction law, is studied. The stiffness and damping of the supporting soil is fully taken into account, The action of the suspension bridge cables is equivalent to a horizontal elastic restraint at the top of the tower, The differential equations of motion of the pier are formulated for its horizontal displacement and rocking angle. The two possible modes of horizontal motion of the pier, the 'arrested' and the 'sliding' motion, are taken into account, The transitions between these two modes are considered during numerical integration. A parametric study is carried out with emphasis on the residual slippage and the developed moment in the pier foundation due to rocking, This study was motivated by the need to understand the potential seismic response of a large suspension bridge proposed for the Rion-Antirrion straits, in Greece. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.