Shaking table test of a new special-shaped arch bridge

In this work, a shaking table test was conducted on a new special-shaped arch bridge consisting of an inclined arch and a curved beam called BIACB. In order to meet a landscape requirement, the design of BIACB is unique and complex. Therefore, different from conventional bridges, it exhibits a prominent space effect and unpredictable complex seismic responses. To check the seismic performance of the BIACB, a 1:40 scaled test model was designed and fabricated to achieve a shaking table test by using simulated earthquake. The seismic responses of the tested BIACB model under three typical seismic excitations (El-Centro wave, Taft wave and Artificial wave) were explored. It is found that: (1) The scaled test bridge model can well reflect the seismic response characteristics of the prototype bridge verified by the corresponding finite element analysis. (2) Obvious dynamic amplification phenomena in the transverse and vertical directions of the bridge were observed, showing that the vertical response of the curved beam is greater than the transverse one, while the transverse response of the leaning arch is much more apparent than the vertical one. Generally, the seismic responses of BIACB under transverse seismic excitation are more obvious than those under longitudinal seismic excitation. (3) Higher-order vibration mode of the BIACB has a substantial participation under the longitudinal seismic excitation. (4) The inclined arch significantly amplifies the impact of vertical seismic excitation on the BIACB. (5) The relative variation amplitudes of suspender force of short suspenders on the BIACB are greater than that of long suspenders under longitudinal seismic excitation. The research findings are of great potential to critically guide the seismic design of relevant bridges.