1997 年 4 巻 13 号 p. 33-44
The modified structural details of horizontal and vertical stiffeners to meet the requirement of robotics welding are needed in plate girder fabrication. This paper presents the relation between vertical stiffener-end-gaps and fatigue cracking. Fatigue tests are carried out on specimens which have different details between a flange and a vertical stiffener used for connection with a cross beam. The details considered are a vertical stiffener-end welded or tightly fitted to a flange, and vertical stiffener-end-gaps of 35 mm and 55 mm. Except for a vertical stiffener-end welded to a flange, fatigue cracks are caused at the vertical stiffener-ends and at the fillet welds between a flange and a web. The examination of the local stresses in the web at the vertical stiffener-ends makes a condition to prevent the cracking at the fillet welds.