Evaluation of the Seismic Vulnerability of Piles and Metal Decks Due to the Aging of the Structure

Abstract

Since ports and docks play a major role in developing a country, they should pay particular attention to these types of structures. Special attention is not just to successive build-ups, but after constructing, paying attention to these types of structures, it should have the optimal service as the first years of establishment. Pile and metal deck have been shown that vulnerable to corrosion and erosion, in the humid coastal area of the Persian Gulf, with high chloride ions. Given our country’s position in a seismic region, we must pay attention to high-value buildings against natural phenomena. Therefore, by recognizing the vulnerability of these structures against corrosion, the level of damage to the structure against the earthquake can be assessed and considered in the design process or in maintenance methods. In this paper, a conventional pile and metal deck in the Persian Gulf for 3D modeling in the SAP2000 software has been used. Five models of the docks were modeled at 0, 12.5, 25, 37.5 and 50. To investigate the response of the seismicity of the models, an increasing dynamic analysis, which includes eight seismic records in seven different scales, was used. Finally, with the help of the breakdown criteria that were extracted from the overlapping analysis, the fracturing curves of the dock were presented in three modes: service, repair and close to collapse. After analyzing and observing the data, the result is that aging changes the quiver response and IDA curves and increases the structural vulnerability.

Keywords

• pile and metal deck
• corrosion
• steel pile
• seismic behavior
• aging