Funding agency: Chilean National Agency of Research and Development (ANID)

Grant: FONDECYT Regular 1231941(2023-2027)

Principal Investigator: Ramiro Bazáez

Co-Principal Investigators: Rodrigo Astroza and Pablo Heresi

This research will impact the seismic design and retrofit of RC highway bridges by providing a comprehensive study on the seismic behavior of bridges equipped with shape memory alloy devices that will safeguard the structural integrity of the bridge and allow their continuity of operation during and after an earthquake. Additionally, a performance-based seismic design strategy for shape memory alloy devices will be generated for multi-span PC and RC bridges. The research will push forward the bridge engineering community and will reduce seismic risk by correcting one of the deficiencies in current practice, namely the lack of understanding on the seismic behavior of PC and RC highway bridges with SMA devices and the absence of design guidelines for that type of bridges. The proposed research is envisioned to have an impact not only from a scientific point of view, but also is relevant for the bridge engineering practice, and more importantly, aims to provide earthquake-resilient bridges that will benefit the society by reducing seismic risk.