Abstract:To effectively avoid the ship-bridge collisions and reduce the impact force on the bridge structure, based on the specific analysis of the navigation conditions and the pier form of a certain bridge, a composite bridge pier anti-collision scheme is proposed, featuring floating flexible steel casing box and floating steel cladding composite material structure, combined with an active early warning system. The feasibility of the design scheme is verified by establishing a finite element model for ship-bridge collision simulation. The results show that for Pier R4 equipped with the floating flexible steel casing, the transverse head-on collision force is reduced from 18.89 MN to 9.39 MN, and the longitudinal side collision force is reduced from 9.45 MN to 4.54 MN, both exceeding a 50% reduction. The post-reduction collision forces are below the corresponding transverse resistance of 9.9 MN and longitudinal resistance of 5.1 MN for the pier, demonstrating significant effectiveness of the anti-collision facilities. For Piers R3 and R5 equipped with the floating steel cladding composite material structure, the calculated collision forces are also reduced by over 35% and over 37%, respectively, and remain below the actual resistance of the piers. The installation process for the pier anti-collision facilities is mature and convenient for construction. Combined with the active collision warning system of bridge, the overall safety level of the piers and the waterway is significantly enhanced.