Behavior of integral abutment bridge with partially protruded piles

This study presents structural and parametric analyses on the behavior of an integrated and pile-bent abutment with mechanically stabilized earth wall (IPM) bridge. The IPM bridge is an integral abutment bridge (IAB) with partially protruded piles, which excludes earth pressure by means of a mechanically stabilized earth wall developed by the authors. The results of the analysis indicate that the IPM bridge, as any other IAB, is influenced to a large extent by temperature and time-dependent loads. When these loads are applied, the stress on a pile in the IPM bridge decreases as the displacement of the pile top increases, because the piles protrude from the ground surface and no soil reaction is generated on the protruded pile. Because the length of an IAB is restricted by the forces acting on its piles, the IPM bridge is an effective alternative to extend its length.