Development and experimental study on cable-sliding modular expansion joints

According to the characteristics of continuous beam bridges, the relative displacement is too large to collision or even girder falling under earthquakes. A device named Cable-sliding Modular Expansion Joints(CMEJs) that can control the relative displacement and avoid collision under different ground motions is proposed. Working principle and mechanical model is described. This paper design the CMEJs, establish the restoring force model, verify the force model of this device by the pseudo-static tests, and describe and analyze results of the tests, and then based on a triple continuous beam bridge that has different heights of piers, a 3D model with or without CMEJs were established under Conventional System (CS) and Seismic Isolation System (SIS). The results show that this device can control the relative displacement and avoid collisions. The combination of isolation technology and CMEJs can be more effective to achieve both functions, but it need to take measures to prevent girder falling due to the displacement between pier and beam under large earthquakes.