Preliminary numerical study on seismic response of ordinary long-span suspension bridges crossing active faults

The objective of this paper is to expediently expose the seismic performance pertinent to demand and capacity of general long-span suspension bridges crossing active faults. Firstly three dimensional finite element model of the ordinary long-span suspension bridge is established based on the powerful and attractive finite element software ANSYS. Secondly a series of appropriate fault ground motions with different target final permanent displacements (Tectonic displacements or ground offset) in the direction perpendicular to the fault plane are assumed and applied to the employed long-span suspension bridge. And then the Newmark method is utilized to solve the equation of motion of the long-span suspension bridge structure subjected to fault ground motions in the elastic range. Finally some important conclusions are drawn that the final permanent displacements in the direction perpendicular to the fault plane has significant influence on the seismic responses and demands of general long-span suspension bridges crossing active faults. And the resultant conclusions deliver explicitly and directly specifications and guidelines for seismic design of ordinary long-span suspension bridges across fault-rupture zones.