Browsing by Author "Echaveguren, T."

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    Development and comparison of seismic fragility curves for bridges based on empirical and analytical approaches
    (2021) Allen, E.; Amaya, T.; Chamorro, A.; Santa María, H.; Baratta, F.; de Solminihac, H.; Echaveguren, T.
    The bridge network is an essential part of the transportation infrastructure for mobility. However, bridges are susceptible to seismic activity that produces damages and affects the entire transportation system. Their fragilities have been studied based mostly on analytical models but neglecting empirical data from reports. Few studies compared fragility curves from different development methods, analyzing their similarities, advantages, and limitations for a better risk assessment. This article aims to develop and compare fragility curves for bridges based on empirical and analytical methods. The empirical approach is based on damage reports from the 8.8Mw Maule earthquake, while the analytical approach is based on numerical simulations of the seismic response using ground motion components from stations that recorded the Maule earthquake. The curves are developed for bridges with steel and concrete beams, representative of 57% of Chilean bridges. The comparative Kolmogorov-Smirnov test revealed significant compatibility in moderate and severe damage curves when comparing these approaches, unlike the slight damage curves. The lognormal mean parameter varies between the methods by 36%, 1.5%, and 7.5% for the slight, moderate, and severe damage curves respectively for a particular bridge configuration, showing considerable differences in the slight damage curve between methods.
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    Estimation of skid resistance and macrotexture thresholds
    (THOMAS TELFORD PUBLISHING, 2009) de Solminihac, H.; Echaveguren, T.; Vargas Tejeda, S.; Chamorro, A.
    One of the main challenges in geometrical design of highways is to de. ne the braking distance required by the driver-vehicle system. For a specific design speed, the braking distance mainly depends on the friction between the tyre and the road. Design standards de. ne friction values given a certain speed. Design values are not, however, correlated directly to skid resistance and macrotexture of the road surface. The present study proposes a procedure to estimate skid resistance and macrotexture thresholds in terms of the design friction of a road. The procedure is developed using a harmonisation function based on the international friction index (IFI). Using the proposed procedure, skid resistance and macrotexture thresholds that fulfil design friction requirements were defined. The results showed that thresholds are not unique; instead, a set of skid resistance macrotexture values which fulfil the design friction can be defined for each design speed. Consistency between geometrical design and the characteristics of a road surface can be evaluated with the proposed procedure. The procedure can be applied for any design standard and for any skid resistance and macrotexture measuring device.
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    Technical assessment model for the performance of flexible pavement maintenance
    (PONTIFICIA UNIV CATOLICA CHILE, ESCUELA CONSTRUCCION CIVIL, 2010) Vera, I; Thenoux, G.; Solminihac, H. D.; Echaveguren, T.
    Assessment of maintenance strategies is a key aspect in pavement management. This is done through such models as HDM-4 at network level. Calibrations at project level however are not always available for maintenance plans to be accurately made. This paper proposes an alternative model for the technical assessment of pavements, allowing conservation plans (assessment of the ex-before type) to be compared and also the performance of already executed maintenance works (ex-after type assessment). The model considers forecasts of traffic stress, roughness progression through IRI and the effect of maintenance activities on the IRI. Models were calibrated at the level of projects using data from 2,000 200-hundred meter sections of asphalt pavements of the Chilean road network. Each test section was grouped considering weather, traffic level, type of vehicles and load condition. An aggregated performance index is also proposed to measure the effectiveness of conservation plans compared to its base condition. This model allows measuring the performance of maintenance plans according to the type of pavement and optimizing the conservation plan according to the history of pavements.