Abstract Rounded-end gravity piers are widely employed in high-speed railway (HSR) bridges in China. With low reinforcement ratios and low-to-medium shear-span ratios, they are prone to premature shear and flexure-shear failures, resulting in limited drift capacity and reduced seismic resilience. This study conducted a quasi-static experimental investigation on five pier specimens with varying shear-span ratios, longitudinal reinforcement, and stirrup ratios. Global seismic performance, including failure modes, displacement capacity, energy dissipation, and stiffness degradation, was evaluated. Locally, the contributions of flexural, shear, and slip deformation and the corresponding stiffness components were quantified. Results showed that piers with larger shear-span ratios exhibited earlier stiffness degradation, reaching equivalent damage states at smaller drift ratios. In addition, a five-level damage classification was suggested based on degradation behavior and observed failure patterns. These findings clarify the key deformation and degradation mechanisms and provide practical insights for seismic assessment and performance-based design of HSR bridge piers.
Wang et al. (Fri,) studied this question.
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