The detailed vehicle and bridge pier finite element models were established wsing the numerical simulation technique.A parametric study was also conducted to analyze the transient response and failure mode of the piers

which included the pier diameter

the impact velocity

the off-center distance

the equivalent participating masses of the superstructure and stirrup spacing.The computational methods of impact capacity of the bridge pier suggested by codes were discussed

and the actual impact capacity of the bridge pier was also analyzed.The results show that the failure mode of the bridge pier under vehicle collision is mainly shear failure.Due to the dynamic effect of the impacted bridge pier is very significant

the dynamic capacity of the bridge pier is about four times the design value of the static shear capacity.The participating masses of the superstructure can influence the failure mode of the bridge pier to some degree.The effect of increasing stirrups ratios on the impact capacity is limited.However

the diameter of the bridge pier plays a dominated role in it’s imapct capacity.The peak imapct force calculated using the 20 ms local average method is consistent with the shear demand of the bridge pier.