BART San Francisco Transition Structure (SFTS)
Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit Design
The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid
Transit (BART) system has initiated a Earthquake Safety Program to upgrade
vulnerable portions of the original BART system, completed between 1972 and
1976. Portions of the original system with the highest traffic will be upgraded
not only for life safety but also to ensure that they can return to operation
shortly after a major earthquake. The estimated duration for design and
construction of the entire program is approximately 10 years. The total project
budget for the Earthquake Safety Program is $1,307 million (in 2004 dollars).
SC Solutions is currently involved in the seismic retrofit design of the Transbay Tube and the San Francisco Transition Structure. The Oakland to San Francisco segment of the BART system carries trains under the San Francisco Bay via Immersed Transbay Tube (TBT). It is connected to transition structures on both sides of the Bay via seismic joints. SC Solutions’ scope on this project includes:
- Developing a three-dimensional finite element model which includes all pieces of the shore to shore system,
- Performing nonlinear dynamic analysis of the global model with multiple sets of ground motion,
- Designing an economical retrofit to improve seismic performance of this very important transportation artery based on the results of the seismic analysis.
