Shear response of two-column bridge bents

The seismic design of two-column bridge bents was investigated in this thesis. In particular, the focus was the distribution of actions between the two columns and the related lateral capacity of the bent.;To study the behavior of two-column bridge bents, two 1/3-scale models, Pier 23 and Pier 37, representing the Dumbarton Bridge, were experimentally and numerically investigated. One particular characteristic of the two structures is the inclination of the hollow columns.;The taller of the two specimens, Pier 23, represented the tallest pier of the Dumbarton Bridge at the main channel crossing. With tall slender columns, the Pier 23 specimen was considered to be flexurally dominated; the shorter Pier 37 specimen was considered to be shear dominated. The experimental activity and the numerical simulation was specifically aimed at the assessment of the distribution of shear forces between the two columns. The results both numerically and experimentally indicate that the shear distribution between the columns makes the column under compression more vulnerable to shear degradation.;The experimentally validated numerical model was used to investigate the effect of different geometric configurations of a typical two-column bent as well as the effects of the flexibility of the cap beam and the difference between solid and hollow columns.