Comparison of different models for high damping rubber bearings in seismically isolated bridges

In this paper, the dynamic behaviour and seismic response of a benchmark three-span bridge are analysed by using an advanced HDNR bearing model recently developed and capable of accounting for the coupled horizontal and vertical responses, as well as for significant features of the hysteretic shear response of these isolation devices. The results of the analyses shed light on the importance of the bearing vertical stiffness and how it modifies the seismic performance of isolated bridges. Successively, the seismic response estimates obtained by using simplified bearing models, whose use is well established and also suggested by design codes, are compared against the corresponding estimates obtained by using the advanced bearing model, to evaluate their accuracy for the current design practice.