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Bridges reinforced with superelastic shape memory alloys (SMAs) demonstrate improved performance under earthquake excitations. In general, the capital investment for a bridge reinforced with SMAs is higher due to their high cost and special workmanship requirement. However, when accounting for postearthquake repair and maintenance costs and environmental impacts, SMA-reinforced bridges can deliver significant economic and environmental advantages over conventional structures in the long run. Based on a life cycle thinking–based decision support framework developed in a companion paper, this study thoroughly evaluated the life cycle seismic performance of a bridge reinforced with an SMA considering three different reinforcement configurations. Fragility analyses were conducted for each reinforcement configuration of the SMA-reinforced concrete (RC) bridge to assess its seismic vulnerability. A life cycle cost (LCC) assessment was performed to determine the economic impacts during their service life. Additionally, cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment (LCA) was done using SimaPro to assess the environmental impacts. Using the outcomes of the these assessments, the overall life cycle performance of the novel bridges was compared with a similar bridge reinforced with conventional steel. The results showed that the SMA-reinforced bridges presented a better seismic life cycle performance compared with a conventional RC bridge from a seismic performance and economic perspective. However, the conventional bridge showed a better overall score from an eco-friendly approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bridges are an integral part of a country's transportation infrastructure system. Earthquake-induced damages to bridges could result in fatalities and injuries, disturbances to the transportation infrastructure system, and incur significant repair costs. Furthermore, bridges must stay functional following an earthquake to maintain the continuity of transportation. Thus, innovative high-performance materials in the critical regions of structures and/or structural systems must be used located in regions of high seismic activity to mitigate the impacts of earthquakes. Despite having a higher seismic resilience, these structures, in general, tend to require a greater capital investment as a result of utilizing expensive material and special workmanship. However, when accounting for the postearthquake repair and maintenance costs, these seismically enhanced bridges can deliver significant cost advantages over conventional structures in the long run. Even so, the outcomes depend on the frequency and severity of the seismic damage, the lifespan of the bridge, the cost of materials, and the embodied emissions of the structures. To ensure better overall results, the cost–benefit analysis should be done with a life-cycle thinking perspective when comparing and making a decision related to multiple bridge systems. In this regard, a decision framework is developed to evaluate the overall life cycle performance of such a novel bridge, using fuzzy logic to integrate uncertainty. The proposed framework will assist engineers and the construction industry as a whole in making informed decisions regarding bridge infrastructure planning under dynamic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]