Design and Construction of Small-Scale Bridge Bents on Drilled Shaft Foundations

The response of structures with deep foundations subjected to dynamic loading is of key interest in areas of high seismicity and is not well understood. This lack of understanding has resulted in design practices which may be overly conservative or inadequate in describing complex structural systems. As part of an experimental program sponsored by the National Science Foundation, two quarter-scale bridge bents on drilled shaft foundations were constructed to investigate oil-foundation-structure interaction under dynamic loading. The bents represent supporting elements in typical highway bridge construction.