Probabilistic Fatigue Life Estimation of Steel Bridges by Using a Bilinear Approach
Publication: Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 17, Issue 1
Abstract
This paper focuses on estimating the fatigue life below the constant amplitude fatigue threshold (CAFT) of steel bridges by using a probabilistic approach on the basis of a bilinear stress life (i.e., the approach). The current AASHTO approach uses a single line for predicting the fatigue life. However, because of the variation of actual applied live-load stress cycles, this approach very often results in a severe underestimation of the useful life of structures. It implies that fatigue damage in respective structural steel details may be overestimated. To improve fatigue life estimation, a bilinear approach is integrated into a probabilistic framework that can model the uncertainties associated with the fatigue deterioration process. In this approach, the equivalent stress range is computed by using two slopes and several probability density functions associated with stress ranges. These probabilistic functions are determined on the basis of stress-range bin histograms from long-term monitoring. An existing bridge that is expected to experience finite fatigue life is used to illustrate the application of the proposed approach.
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Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from (a) the National Science Foundation through grant NSFCMS-0639428; (b) the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Technology Alliance (PITA) through multiple grants, (c) the U.S. Federal Highway Administration Cooperative Agreement Award FHADTFH61-07-H-00040; and (d) the U.S. Office of Naval Research Contract Number UNSPECIFIEDN-00014-08-0188. The authors sincerely thank Professor Emeritus Ben T. Yen, Lehigh University, for his kind and helpful discussions. The opinions and conclusions presented in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsoring organizations.
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© 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Aug 30, 2010
Accepted: Jan 19, 2011
Published online: Dec 15, 2011
Published in print: Jan 1, 2012
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