Optimal sliding friction coefficient for isolated bridges in different soil conditions

The work evaluates the optimal properties of friction pendulum system (FPS) bearings for the seismic protection of bridge piers under earthquake excitations having different frequency characteristics representative of different soil conditions in order to reduce the seismic vulne-rability of infrastructures. A two-degree-of-freedom model is adopted to describe, respective-ly, the response of the infinitely rigid deck isolated by the FPS devices and the elastic behavior of the pier. By means of a non-dimensional formulation of the motion equations, a wide parametric analysis for several structural parameters is carried out. Seismic excitations, modelled as time-modulated filtered Gaussian white noise random processes having different intensities and frequency contents, are considered. Specifically, the filter parameters, which control the frequency contents, are properly calibrated to reproduce stiff, medium and soft soil conditions, respectively. Finally, the optimum values of the sliding friction coefficient able to minimize the pier displacements with respect to the ground are derived as a function of the structural properties, of the seismic input intensity and of the soil condition.