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Earthquakes and Structures
  Volume 10, Number 3, March 2016 , pages 645-667
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12989/eas.2016.10.3.645
 


Seismic assessment and retrofitting measures of a historic stone masonry bridge
Emmanouil N. Rovithis and Kyriazis D. Pitilakis

 
Abstract
    The 750 m long "De Bosset" bridge in the Cephalonia Island of Western Greece, being the area with the highest seismicity in Europe, was constructed in 1830 by successive stone arches and stiff blocktype piers. The bridge suffered extensive damages during past earthquakes, such as the strong M7.2 earthquake of 1953, followed by poorly-designed reconstruction schemes with reinforced concrete. In 2005, a multidisciplinary project for the seismic assessment and restoration of the "De Bosset" bridge was undertaken under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Culture. The proposed retrofitting scheme combining soil improvement, structural strengthening and reconstruction of the deteriorated masonry sections was recently applied on site. Design of the rehabilitation measures and assessment of the pre- and post-interventions seismic response of the bridge were based on detailed in-situ and laboratory tests, providing foundation soil and structural material properties. In-situ inspection of the rehabilitated bridge following the strong M6.1 and M6.0 Cephalonia earthquakes of January 26th and February 3rd 2014, respectively, revealed no damages or visible defects. The efficiency of the bridge retrofitting is also proved by a preliminary performance analysis of the bridge under the recorded ground motion induced by the above earthquakes.
 
Key Words
    retrofitting; "De Bosset" bridge; old stone masonry bridges; numerical analysis; micropiles; Cephalonia 2014 earthquakes
 
Address
Emmanouil N. Rovithis: Institute of Engineering Seismology and Earthquake Engineering (EPPO-ITSAK), Dasyliou Str., Elaiwnes, Pylaia, 55102, Thessaloniki, Greece

Kyriazis D. Pitilakis: Department of Civil Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece
 

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