Probabilistic seismic performance assessment of high-speed railway bridge with tuned mass dampers

Abstract This study aims at exploring the seismic response of high-speed railway bridges equipped with tuned mass dampers (TMDs) by evaluating their fragility curves. To achieve this, a benchmark Chinese bridge with single-column concrete piers and concrete T-beam decks served as the case study. Different sources of uncertainties were considered in fragility analysis including site hazard characteristics, structural geometries, and material properties. A total of 1800 non-linear time-history analyses were performed on the bridge with or without TMDs in three different site classes, each subjected to 20 sets of ground motions. The simulations were performed using the open-source finite element framework OpenSees. The results showed that at site class B, the median fragility of columns was reduced by 42% at the extensive level when TMDs were employed, compared to the non-TMD case. Similarly, deck displacement showed a significant reduction, especially at site classes C and D, with 21% and 15% reduction at moderate levels, respectively. Generally, the results suggested that TMDs can effectively reduce engineering demands, particularly for single-column piers. Moreover, the rate of reduction in responses differed among components based on their application.