2020 Volume 76 Issue 2 Pages I_146-I_156
In the case of Hanshin Expressway, cracks on orthotropic steel slabs are managed with a database. Among these cracks, the cracks on orthotropic steel decks with U-shaped ribs underwent correlation analysis, and factors that induce cracks were investigated. In detail, the existence of cracks and fatigue life were set as objective variables, and the cumulative number of passing of a 10-ton axle and the specifications of vertical and horizontal ribs were set as explanatory variables. Different methods for correlation analysis were used according to the characteristics of objective and explanatory variables. The characteristics of correlation between objective and explanatory variables were evaluated with simple equations, under the assumption that fatigue cracks follow Miner's Rule. Lastly, in order to study the effects of the spans of vertical and horizontal ribs on stress amplitude, numerical analysis was carried out, and its results were compared with those of the statistical analysis, and they were discussed.
