COMPDYN 2015 5 th ECCOMAS Thematic Conference on Computational Methods in Structural Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering M. Papadrakakis, V. Papadopoulos, V. Plevris (eds.) Crete Island, Greece, 25–27 May 2015 POUNDING BETWEEN BRIDGE DECKS: COMPUTATIONAL DETAILS AND RESULTS Bharat Mandal 1* , Vincenzo Bianco 1 , and Giorgio Monti 1 1 Sapienza University of Rome Department of Structural Engineering and Geotechnics Via Antonio Gramsci 53 – 00197 – Rome - Italy *bharatmandal@yahoo.com Keywords: Pounding, bridge decks, numerical modelling, response spectrum. Abstract. The observation of damage to structures, either buildings or bridges, due to earth- quake induced pounding, dates back to early San Fernando (1971) and Mexico City (1985) post-earthquake reconnaissance reports. Recent ground shakings that have struck Italian ter- ritories have renewed the awareness of the necessity to clarify some aspects related to the pounding-induced forces acting on the bridge and viaduct piers. Historically pounding has been studied by either of two approaches, that are: 1) the stereo-mechanical approach, based on the physical laws of the impact phenomenon and the definition of a restitution factor, and 2) the force-based approach, based on the definition of the local force due to impact. Moreo- ver, impact can be either soft or hard, depending on the amount of earthquake-induced ener- gy dissipated locally through the damage of the colliding bodies. In this study, pounding response of two linear SDOF (Single Degree Of Freedom) systems has been studied through different models, namely: 1) Linear Spring, 2) Kelvin-Voigt, 3)Hertz, 4) Hertz-damp and 5) Stereo-mechanical model. Those models have been applied using both backward and forward spectrum-compatible and artificially generated ground motions. After introducing 1) the de- tails of each of those models, 2) the main differences among them, and 3) the numerical com- putational strategy implemented, the main results are presented. Among these latter, being the early results of an exploratory and propaedeutic work for a Doctoral Thesis, the pound- ing-inducted response spectra, either in terms of peak displacement or pounding force, are developed. 2890