Simulations on Reliability-based Safety Assessment of Vehicles Crossing Highway Interchanges during Earthquakes.

Safety assessment of vehicles crossing highway interchanges during earthquakes by reliability-based numerical simulations is presented in this paper. The assessment was performed for two limit states: vehicle rollover and sideslipping accidents. Simulations were conducted using three-dimensional finite element models of two existing highway interchanges consisting of straight and curved bridges under site-specific earthquakes. Effects of curved bridges radii, levels of earthquake, vehicle type, driving velocity, and road surface conditions on the safety limit states of five types of vehicles, namely, sedan-type, SUV, small-box truck, bus, and large truck, were investigated and clarified in the Monte Carlo simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]