The number of tall-pier bridges is increasing rapidly in the southwestern region of China but the seismic behaviors of these special bridges have not been well understood The present paper evaluates t

Clearly states the research objective and context: The paper establishes the need to understand the seismic behaviors of tall-pier bridges in southwestern China and evaluates the effectiveness of two pushover methods in predicting the curvature ductility demands of four tall single-column piers.

Describes the methodology: The paper utilizes both energy-based MPA and direct vectorial addition (DVA) pushover methods to evaluate the curvature ductility demands of the piers. Incremental dynamic analyses (IDAs) are used to compare the results obtained from pushover analyses.

Provides specific details: The paper specifies the parameters studied, including pier height and cross-section variation, and identifies the location of the maximum curvature ductility demand in each tall pier.

Presents clear results: The paper reports the observed high curvature ductility demands at both bottom and mid-height regions in all tall piers, with demands at the mid-height region being even greater in piers with variable cross-sections. The DVA-based pushover method is found to be effective in predicting the curvature ductility demands at both regions.

Concludes with implications: The paper highlights the importance of understanding the seismic behaviors of tall-pier bridges and suggests that the DVA-based pushover method can be a useful tool in predicting curvature ductility demands for such structures