Abstract
In post structures supporting traffic signs or lighting apparatuses on highway bridges, strengthening gussets welded at the bottom of post introduce stress concentration and make these details susceptible to fatigue failure. Stress and deformation near critical points in normal and improved type post structures are comprehensively studied with 3D finite element analyses. Fatigue evaluations are carried out with HSS method and one-millimeter stress approach based on finite element analyses. Fatigue strengths are suggested based on test data and evaluations. It is found that one-millimeter stress approach is suitable for fatigue evaluation of post structures and that thickness correction is necessary in HSS method evaluations.
