Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit of the Brooklyn Bridge

The Brooklyn Bridge, completed in 1883, is a National Historic and Civil Engineering Landmark, and a critical transportation link between Manhattan and Brooklyn. Its granite masonry towers with their gothic arches and graceful stay cables have a universal appeal. The main bridge is a combination of suspension and cable-stayed structure with several unique features. The bridge underwent in-depth seismic evaluation and is being retrofitted to enable it to sustain 2,500-year return period earthquakes with minimal or repairable damage. The evaluation was based on a comprehensive investigation of soils, testing of materials, field measurements of bridge vibrations and state-of-the-art analytical work. The paper describes the seismic evaluation of the main bridge and the masonry towers, which are supported on caissons with several layers of timber. Details of the work include aspects of the global non-linear analysis, the acceleration pushover analysis of the towers and the soil-caisson-tower interaction analysis. The superstructure and towers were found to respond in a satisfactory manner. Only certain unusual details of the superstructure require retrofitting.

• Corporate Authors:

  Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research

  State University of New York, 107 Red Jacket Quadrangle, P.O. Box 610025
  Buffalo, NY  United States  14261-0025
• Authors:
  • Arzoumanidis, Serafim
  • Edwards, Nicholas
  • Patel, Jay
  • Kishore, Kamal
  • Ahmed, Hasan
  • Kulczycki, Walter
• Conference:
  • Sixth National Seismic Conference on Bridges and Highways
  • Location: Charleston SC, United States
  • Date: 2008-7-28 to 2008-7-30
• Publication Date: 2008

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: 12p
• Monograph Title: Sixth National Seismic Conference on Bridges and Highways: Seismic Technologies for Extreme Loads

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge superstructures; Caissons; Earthquake resistant design; Retrofitting; Seismicity; Soil tests; State of the art; Vibration tests
• Identifier Terms: Brooklyn Bridge (New York)
• Uncontrolled Terms: Pushover analysis
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01356899
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 2 2011 11:06AM