Precision Assessment of Reinforced Concrete Pier Resilience Under High-Velocity Vehicle Impact Using an Energy-Based Analytical Model

The structural reliability of bridge piers under dynamic loading is a key factor in ensuring infrastructureresilience, particularly in the face of high-speed vehicular impacts. While often considered less critical than seismicor blast events, such impacts can significantly compromise pier capacity, thereby increasing vulnerability in multihazardscenarios. Existing design codes provide well-established criteria for seismic and blast resistance, but offerlimited guidance for addressing high-velocity vehicle impacts, highlighting a critical gap in current engineering practice.This study addresses that gap by investigating the energy dissipation behavior of reinforced concrete piers subjectedto high-speed impacts, employing a spring-action model that explicitly includes the contribution of concrete—anaspect frequently overlooked in conventional modeling approaches. Comparative simulations are conducted with andwithout the concrete’s energy-absorbing effects to evaluate its role in post-impact structural performance. Monte Carlosimulations are used to assess failure probabilities and quantify post-impact energy dissipation, supported by uncertaintyanalysis revealing up to a maximum 33% variation stemming from modeling assumptions. The findings underscore thesignificant role of concrete in absorbing impact energy, improving damage prediction, and enhancing overall structuralreliability. This research offers valuable insights to guide the development of advanced design methodologies and supportthe refinement of code provisions, ultimately promoting more resilient and efficient bridge pier systems capable ofwithstanding short-duration, high strain-rate loading events.