Influence of Asphalt Pavement Failure on Local Stress of Orthotropic Steel Decks

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to investigate influence of asphalt pavement failure on local stress of orthotropic steel decks. Recently, fatigue cracks around the welds between deck plate and U-shaped rib have been reported in Japan. Then field surveys of fifty orthotropic steel decks were carried out to grasp their fatigue damages, asphalt pavement failures and so on. One of the major types of pavement failures was the crack that occurred just over the weld between deck plate and U-shaped rib. Then we conducted the field measurements at the orthotropic steel decks which had such pavement failures. It became clear that some pavement failures might make higher stress around the weld between U-shaped rib and deck plate. FEM analyses were also carried out to clarify the influence of types of asphalt pavement failures on local stress of orthotropic steel decks.