Fatigue analysis of box-girder webs subjected to in-plane shear and transverse bending induced by railway traffic

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2013

Authors

Carlos Sousa (Author) FEUP; Joao Francisco Rocha (Author) Other; Rui Calcada (Author) FEUP; Afonso Serra Neves (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Engineering Structures

Vol. 54 No. September 2013

Pages: 248-261

ISSN: 0141-0296

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 21 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 24 Citations

COMPENDEX

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Civil engineering

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-006-81N

DOI: 10.1016/j.engstruct.2013.04.008

Abstract (EN): The analysis of slender reinforced concrete box-girder webs, in bridge decks, must be carried out considering the effects of in-plane shear and transverse (out-of-plane) bending. In the case of structures subjected to important cyclic loads, such as railway bridge decks, fatigue must also be taken into account. This paper presents a numerical methodology for fatigue analysis of reinforced concrete girder webs, considering the combined effects of in-plane shear and transverse bending. Fatigue lives are calculated by using the damage accumulation method, which makes it possible to analyse variable amplitude stress histories due to real traffic. The main specificity of the proposed methodology lies in the algorithm for calculation of stress histories in the stirrups and in the web concrete. This algorithm is validated through the comparison with experimental results reported in the bibliography, which demonstrates that the proposed approach provides results on the safe side. The interest and practical consequences of employing this methodology in fatigue analyses of new structures are illustrated through the application to a real case study.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 14