Distortion-Induced Fatigue Cracking after Crack Arrest Hole Retrofit of Steel Girder Bridges
Publication: Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 28, Issue 6
Abstract
The paper presents research on distortion-induced fatigue cracking in steel bridge girders at a connection plate-to-girder web weld toe after retrofit of an original fatigue crack using a crack-arrest hole (CAH). Detailed three-dimensional finite-element analyses (FEAs) of a global model of an example two-girder bridge were used to evaluate fatigue stresses from out-of-plane bending of the girder web in the web gap region before and after the original fatigue crack develops and before and after a CAH retrofit. The local structural stress (LSS) at the connection plate-to-girder web weld toe and the maximum magnitude principal stress (MMPS) on the CAH edge were evaluated and compared to the corresponding fatigue resistance to assess the potential for fatigue cracking. Various original fatigue crack lengths and CAH diameters were studied to determine the influence of these parameters. Results from fatigue tests of specimens that simulate connection plate-to-girder web welds with original fatigue cracks and CAH retrofit under out-of-plane web plate bending were presented. The test results validated the fatigue stress conditions observed in the FEA results and validated the corresponding fatigue resistance for assessing the potential for fatigue cracking.
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Acknowledgments
The research presented in this paper is based upon work sponsored by a grant from the Center for Integrated Asset Management for Multimodal Transportation Infrastructure Systems (CIAMTIS), a US DOT University Transportation Center, under federal Grant Number 69A3551847103. This project was also financed in part by a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through the Department of Community and Economic Development and the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Technology Alliance program. The authors are grateful for the financial support. The test specimens were donated by High Steel Structures, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The laboratory testing was performed at the Advanced Technology for Large Structural Systems (ATLSS) Engineering Research Center at Lehigh University. The authors are grateful to the ATLSS technical staff, including Jacob Horn, Darrick Fritchman, Jeff Sukanick, Carl Bowman, Todd Anthony, Edward Tomlinson, and Thomas Marullo. Special thanks are extended to Peter Bryan.
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 28 • Issue 6 • June 2023
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 12, 2021
Accepted: Jan 21, 2023
Published online: Mar 28, 2023
Published in print: Jun 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Aug 28, 2023
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