Performance-based reliability analysis of bridge pier subjected to vehicular collision: Extremity and failure

Several limit states function (LSF) should be considered for structural design to assure the performance level of the structures. In AASHTO LRFD design specification, four kinds of the limit states have been deliberated including strength, service, fatigue, and extreme events. Extreme event limit states have been divided into load combination including earthquake, and vehicle collision. The provision of the vehicular collisions based on the equivalent statistic shear force associated with no load factor in a related load combination. Since the essence of the AASHTO LRFD bridge design specification has been established based on the reliability analysis, therefore, there is a need for reliability analysis of this type of the extreme events. The primary intention of this paper is to present a novel study to determine a performance-based design of the bridge piers subjected to the vehicular collision. As state-of-the-art in this study, severity levels of vehicular configurations are classified based on the available momentum data. Accordingly, the performance levels of the pier are categorized corresponding to the damage state of the pier subjected to the vehicular collision. To do so, numerous piers were modeled using the finite element method (FEM). In addition to the new definition of the severity and performance levels, the results showed that there is a correlation between both extreme events limits. This fact indicates that the piers which have been already designed based on the severe earthquake events can stand for a better performance level due to the vehicular collision events.