Behavior and Retrofit Study of Highway Steel Bridge Fatigue Cracking

Fatigue cracking induced by vehicle load is a prevalent problem in orthotropic steel decks. In addition, pavement debonding in steel bridge decks is another familiar issue resulting from low slip resistance in the faying surface between the steel and asphalt concrete. The present study proposed a strengthening method that uses ultra-high performance concrete to stiffen a repeatedly maintained cable-stayed bridge in order to help address these two problems. The existing issues of the real bridge and the corresponding causes were investigated. Following this, an ultra-high performance concrete paving system was designed to improve the stiffness of the orthotropic steel decks. For this paving system, a 45-mm ultra-high performance concrete layer was connected to the deck by welded shear studs. The local stresses at the typical vulnerable fatigue cracking points were determined by means of a finite element model and of a field loading test to evaluate the strengthening effect. The results showed that this strengthening method can prevent the propagation of fatigue cracks. The local stresses of the U-ribs and diaphragms were reduced by 45.4% and 40.0%, respectively. The repaired bridge has sufficient resistance against fatigue cracking based on the in situ observations.

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Evaluation of fatigue cracking at cross diaphragms of a multigirder steel bridge

Journal of Constructional Steel Research ◽

10.1016/0143-974x(88)90002-8 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 95-110 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

C.A. Castiglioni ◽

J.W. Fisher ◽

B.T. Yen

Keyword(s):

Fatigue Cracking ◽

Steel Bridge

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Analysis on Crack Types and Causes of Junshan Bridge’s Steel Box Girder Orthotropic Plate

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.668.621 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 668 ◽

pp. 621-624

Author(s):

Jian Hua Cheng ◽

Jian Min Xiong ◽

Jie Dai

Keyword(s):

Orthotropic Plate ◽

Fatigue Cracks ◽

Fatigue Cracking ◽

Scientific Basis ◽

Steel Bridge ◽

Future Health ◽

Box Girder ◽

Detail Design ◽

Design And Manufacturing ◽

Long Operation

The fatigue cracking of orthotropic plate is a fatal problem for the long operation of steel bridge safely. There are numerous fatigue cracks appearing on Junshan Bridge, which locate mainly on diaphragm, U-Rib and fillet weld between the U-Rib and deck. Based on the location of fatigue cracks, the paper analyzed the causes of fatigue cracking from three aspects of mechanics cause, detail design and manufacturing factors, providing scientific basis of future health monitoring for bridges.

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Distortion Induced Fatigue Analysis of Steel Bridges

Key Engineering Materials ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/kem.525-526.133 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 525-526 ◽

pp. 133-136

Author(s):

Chun Sheng Wang ◽

Sheng Long Yan ◽

Jun Cheng

Keyword(s):

Numerical Analysis ◽

Fatigue Cracking ◽

Steel Bridges ◽

Steel Bridge ◽

Ansys Software ◽

Fatigue Stress ◽

Double Curvature ◽

Out Of Plane ◽

Analysis Models ◽

The Web

Induced forces in secondary steel bridge members such as diaphragms and cross-bracing can cause out-of-plane distortion in webs that may lead to fatigue cracking. Such cracking is most likely to occur if the distortion must be accommodated in a short length of the web, such as in the gap between the end of transverse stiffeners and girder flanges, thats because the web gap is subject to double curvature. In this paper, the numerical analysis models of the curved continue steel bridges were established using ANSYS software to calculate the fatigue stress at the web gaps. The numerical analysis results show that both the bottom web gap at middle span area and the top web gap at supported were poor fatigue details, and web thickness and web gap depth give the great affection on the out-of-plane distortion fatigue stress at web gaps of curved steel bridges.

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Out-Plane Distortion Induced Fatigue Analysis of Steel Bridges

Key Engineering Materials ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/kem.452-453.165 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 452-453 ◽

pp. 165-168

Author(s):

Zhi Ping Wu ◽

Chun Sheng Wang ◽

Feng Cheng

Keyword(s):

Numerical Models ◽

Structural Parameters ◽

Fatigue Cracking ◽

Steel Bridge ◽

Analysis Model ◽

Ansys Software ◽

Fatigue Stress ◽

Double Curvature ◽

Out Of Plane ◽

The Web

Induced forces in secondary steel bridge members such as diaphragms and cross-bracing can cause out-of-plane distortion in webs that may lead to fatigue cracking. Such cracking is most likely to occur if the distortion must be accommodated in a short length of the web, such as in the gap between the end of transverse stiffeners and girder flanges, because the web gap is subject to double curvature. In this paper, the numerical analysis model of a real 3-span continue steel bridge was established using ANSYS software to calculate the real fatigue stress at the web gaps. Some key structural parameters, for example, web gap depth and web thickness, have been considered in the numerical models. The results show that web thickness and web gap depth give the great affection on the out-of-plane distortion fatigue stress at web gaps.

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