Influence of Near-fault Pulse-like Motion Characteristics on Seismic Performance of Tall Pier Bridges with Fragility Analysis

This paper focuses on the effects of near-fault motion characteristics on the seismic performance of tall pier bridges. Using the analytical models calibrated by shake table tests, fragility analysis was conducted investigating the influence of near-fault motion features (i.e., period (Tv) and number (N) of velocity pulses). Results show that seismic fragility of the tall pier under near-fault motions is highly correlated to Tv and the damage states considered, while the influence of N is less significant. Consequently, when considering the seismic behavior of tall piers under near-fault pulse-like motions, choosing records with respect to Tv may lead to more reliable results.