FATIGUE TESTS OF WELDED JOINTS OF WEATHERING STEEL AND STRUCTURAL STEEL WEATHERED FOR 25 YEARS

Abstract

It is important to know fatigue strength of weathered welded joints, when it is used in unpainted condition. Fatigue tests were carried out for 32 cruciform specimens and eight tensile plates with out-of-plane gussets after 25-year atmospheric exposure. Fifteen cruciform specimens were subjected to number of stress cycles corresponding to 25 percents of its fatigue life before weathering. The test data was compared with non-weathered, 2-, 4- and 10-year weathered specimens. Change in surface roughness and fillet weld toe profile was also measured for comparison. It was found that no reduction in fatigue life was observed after 25 years of atmospheric exposure in unpainted condition.