Truck Models for Improved Fatigue Life Predictions of Steel Bridges
Publication: Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 11, Issue 1
Abstract
A new fatigue load model has been developed based on weigh-in-motion (WIM) data collected from three different sites in Indiana. The recorded truck traffic was simulated over analytical bridge models to investigate moment range responses of bridge structures under truck traffic loadings. The bridge models included simple and two equally continuous spans. Based on Miner’s hypothesis, fatigue damage accumulations were computed for details at various locations on the bridge models and compared with the damage predicted for the 240-kN (54-kip) American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) fatigue truck, a modified AASHTO fatigue truck with an equivalent effective gross weight, and other fatigue truck models. The results indicate that fatigue damage can be notably overestimated in short-span girders. Accordingly, two new fatigue trucks are developed in the present study. A new three-axle fatigue truck can be used to represent truck traffic on typical highways, while a four-axle fatigue truck can better represent truck traffic on heavy duty highways with a significant percentage of the fatigue damage dominated by eight- to 11-axle trucks.
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Acknowledgment
This work was supported by the Joint Transportation Research Program administered by the Indiana Department of Transportation and Purdue University. The contents of this paper reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein, and do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the Federal Highway Administration and the Indiana Department of Transportation, nor do the contents constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. The contributions of James Reisert and Andrew Nichols during the data collection are greatly appreciated.
References
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Information
Published In
Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 11 • Issue 1 • January 2006
Pages: 71 - 80
Copyright
© 2006 ASCE.
History
Received: Jun 28, 2004
Accepted: Oct 14, 2004
Published online: Jan 1, 2006
Published in print: Jan 2006
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