A STUDY ON STRAIN REFERENCE POINT FOR ESTIMATING FATIGUE DURABILITY OF ORTHOTROPIC STEEL DECK FOR DECK PROPAGATING CRACK FROM WELD ROOT BETWEEN DECK PLATE AND TROUGH RIB

Abstract

 Strain measurement point (reference point) for estimating fatigue durability of orthotropic steel deck in consideration of fatigue crack propagating into deck plate from weld root between deck plate and trough rib, where the transverse rib is connected, is discussed through FE analyses on orthotropic steel deck model. Here, relationship between strain at reference point and stress at the weld root are compared on the basis of the strain influence plane and the stress influence plane obtained from FE analytical results using a lot of points of concentrated load. The results suggest the location “the deck plate undersurface 5mm away from weld toe on the the deck plate” is the most suitable as the reference point.