Field Evaluation of Fatigue Cracking in Diaphragm-Girder Connections
Publication: Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 12, Issue 1
Abstract
Many multigirder steel bridges built before 1985 are experiencing distortion-induced fatigue cracking at diaphragm-girder connections. In bridges in Birmingham, Ala. fatigue cracks in the welds and base metal in hundreds of diaphragm-girder connections have been discovered. In addition, one repair scheme, a bolted-angle retrofit, has not performed satisfactorily because of fatigue cracking in the connection angle. Field tests at six bridge sites in the Birmingham, Ala. area were conducted to evaluate the potential for further cracking at previously uncracked connections, the appropriateness of continuing a drilled hole repair of girder web cracks, and the performance of a proposed new bolted-angle retrofit. Primarily, surface strain measurements resulting from traffic and calibration trucks crossing the bridge were recorded to evaluate the performance of the connections. Results indicate cracking will continue at welded diaphragm-girder connections, hole-drilling crack tips is not a reliable fix of web cracking, and the proposed new bolted-angle retrofit is an improvement of the original bolted connection.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 12 • Issue 1 • February 1998
Pages: 25 - 32
Copyright
Copyright © 1998 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Feb 1, 1998
Published in print: Feb 1998
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