Design for Deconstruction of resilient bridge columns to dynamic loads

The resilience and sustainability of transport assets increasingly depend on their ability to rapidly adapt, repair, and reuse critical bridge components. Сonventional monolithic bridge systems often incur irreparable damage at pier base hindering deconstruction and causing long service interruptions. In line with Design for Deconstruction (DfD) and Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA), this paper proposes a novel demountable rocking connection intended to replace traditional integral piers to accelerate the uptake of prefabrication solutions. The connection demploys external, replaceable energy-dissipating rebars to form a self-centering system localizing inelastic demand within an accessible, repairable zone while preserving the structural integrity of the column, allowing for its demounting and reuse in subsequent construction when the structure reaches obsolescence or requires replacement. A detailed three dimensional, nonlinear finite element model in ABAQUS is developed to investigate stress concentrations and guide geometric optimisation of the contact surfaces. Results show that the connection sustains large lateral displacements and rotations while keeping the column essentially undamaged and reusable, supporting rapid component replacement and aligning with emerging DfD/DfMA and Industry 5.0 paradigms. • Demountable rocking pier–foundation hinge embeds DfD/DfMA principles • External replaceable rebars confine inelastic demand to accessible fuses • Column remains essentially elastic and reusable under extreme seismic drifts • 3D nonlinear FEM in ABAQUS optimises contact geometry and stress distribution • Concept aligns with Industry 4.0/5.0 and digital passports for bridge components