The　post-earthquake　residual　vertical　load-carrying　capacity　(VLCC)　of　bridge　bents　serves　as　a　measure　of　bridge　functionality　to　carry　traffic　loads　following　earthquake　events,　which　is　directly　associated　with　the　seismic　resilience　of　bridges.　To　facilitate　the　next-generation　resilience-based　seismic　design　of　bridges,　this　study　systematically　quantifies　the　post-earthquake　residual　VLCC　of　widely　adopted　reinforced　concrete　(RC)　single-column　and　double-column　bridge　bents.　An　analytical　framework　comprising　two-phase　cyclic　pushover　analyses　followed　by　pushdown　analyses　(i.e.,　pushover　in　the　vertical-downward　direction)　is　applied　to　evaluate　the　post-earthquake　residual　VLCC　of　bridge　bents.　An　in-depth　parametric　study　is　conducted　using　validated　numerical　modeling　techniques　to　quantify　the　VLCC　degradation　following　earthquakes,　and　meanwhile,　to　explore　how　it　is　affected　by　bent　structural　parameters.　Additionally,　a　dataset　containing　a　total　number　of　860　post-earthquake　residual　VLCC　results　is　gathered,　statistically　analyzed,　and　applied　to　develop　interpretable　machine　learning　(ML)　predictive　models.　It　is　found　that　the　degradation　of　VLCC　can　be　attributed　to　a　combination　effect　of　physical　damage　to　RC　materials　during　the　seismic　loading　and　post-earthquake　residual　deformation-associated　P-Δ　effect　during　the　vertical　loading.　At　the　design　damage　state　that　half　of　the　inelastic　deformation　capacity　of　bents　is　mobilized,　the　mean　residual　VLCC　of　single-column　and　double-column　bents　reaches　89.1　%　and　95.7　%　of　the　original　level,　respectively.　The　developed　ML　models　can　provide　reasonable　predictions　of　the　post-earthquake　residual　VLCC　for　bridge　bents　with　errors　mostly　within　20　%　and　provide　interpretation　results　align　with　the　findings　from　the　parametric　study　and　statistical　analysis　of　the　dataset.　©　2025　Elsevier　Ltd