REPAIR AND RETROFIT WORKS FOR EXISTING HIGHWAY BRIDGES

Japan has an extensive road network consisting of 40,000 km of national highways and 130,000 km of prefectural roads; they account for 87% of the total domestic transport volume in tonnage, or 37% of the total ton-km. If a major earthquake occurs, these roads may be damaged along with other structures, hampering evacuation, rescue and repair activities in the stricken area. Past cases show, however, that where the function of the road was maintained the disaster was kept at a minimum. Bridges are important structures to cross over obstacles; but they are liable to be affected by earthquakes. Such damage as the fall of the superstructure results in the loss of the function of the road and is difficult to repair. If the damage is not as severe as the fall of the superstructure, temporary repairs may be made so that the bridge may be open to emergency traffic; it may be used semi-permanently, depending on the repair method. There are 33,000 bridges on the national highways and prefectural roads with a total length of 22,000 km, and they vary in age, type, specifications, materials, etc. In order to ensure a certain level of safety for these bridges against earthquakes, it is necessary to devise appropriate methods of repair and retrofit and equipment. Though complete regulations cannot be provided under the present circumstances, some measures have been taken for several important bridges and a repair manual has been prepared. This paper is intended to introduce a part of the manual together with some cases of repairs actually carried out. (Author)

  • Supplemental Notes:
    • Seismic Research for Highway Bridges (US-Japan Program) is a collection of Papers Reprinted Directly from the United States-Japan Cooperative Program on Natural Resources (UJNR) Panel on Wind and Seismic Effects; and the Proceedings of the US-Japan Seminars on Repair and Retrofit of Structures, 1979 to 1984.
  • Corporate Authors:

    Pittsburgh University, Pittsburgh

    Department of Civil Engineering
    Pittsburgh, PA  United States  15261

    National Science Foundation

    1800 G Street, NW
    Washington, DC  United States  20550
  • Authors:
    • Asama, T
    • SHIOI, Y
    • Tazaki, T
    • Asanumz, H
  • Publication Date: 1984-6

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Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00394017
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Jul 31 1985 12:00AM