Probabilistic Safety Factor Calculation of the Lateral Overturning Stability of a Single-Column Pier Curved Bridge under Asymmetric Eccentric Load

Abstract

At present, the calculation methods for the lateral overturning stability safety factor of a single-column pier curved bridge under asymmetric eccentric load in the highway bridge code adopt deterministic calculation models. This paper presents a transverse overturning stability safety factor study of single-column pier curved bridges under asymmetric eccentric load based on inverse reliability theory. This method, which both considers the influence of uncertainty factors among the structural parameters and satisfies the prescribed reliability level, was used to obtain safety factors through a target reliability index. Transverse overturning stability factors of single-column pier curved bridges under asymmetric eccentric load were estimated using the proposed method. A new method was proposed to calculate the design parameter of the safety factor of single-pier instability, and then an application was carried out. The results show that parameter uncertainty has a major effect on transverse overturning stability safety factors of single-column pier curved bridges under asymmetric eccentric load. Ignoring parameter uncertainty will produce an overestimation of the transverse overturning stability safety factors of single-column pier bridges. The vehicle load must be strictly controlled to avoid transverse overturning due to overloading. Compared to the deterministic model, the proposed method has the advantages of calculating the safety factors considering the randomness of parameters and establishing the relationship of the safety factor with the target reliability index.

Keywords

• single-column pier curved bridges
• transverse overturning stability
• inverse reliability analysis
• safety factors
• uncertainty