Performance-Based Seismic Design of Bitlis River Viaduct Based on Damage Control Using Seismic Isolation and Energy Dissipation Devices

This paper presents a sample application of seismic isolation techniques in performance-based design of a major viaduct. The Bitlis River viaduct is located in a seismically active region. The targeted performance goal required no damage at 475-year return period earthquake and repairable damage at 2475-year return period earthquake. The bridge is designed with a seismic isolation system composed of spherical bearings and MRSD (Multidirectional Re-centering steel Damper) hysteretic dampers. The MRSD is a recently-developed hysteretic damper with a controllable post-elastic stiffness. To keep the dampers from being activated during the thermal displacements, the attachment of the dampers to the deck are made through elongated holes oriented in the longitudinal direction of the bridge. The gaps are sized based on the amount of expected maximum thermal displacement in each pier. The gap length is thus different for different piers. This means that the number of the dampers to be engaged during an earthquake will depend on the intensity of the displacements. The distinct feature in this design is how it achieves double purpose: (i) preventing the dampers from engagement during service life as a result of thermal displacements and (ii) sequential engagement of the dampers depending on the level of seismically-induced displacements. The paper presents the basic design features of this seismically isolated bridge designed based on performance-based principles, a brief description of the newly-developed damper and a summary of analyses results.