Numerical and Experimental Study on Fatigue Life Extension of U-rib Steel Structure by Hammer Peening

Abstract

Fatigue tests and numerical analyses were carried out in order to investigate the effect of hammer peening on fatigue life of U-rib structure. The fatigue test results showed that the fatigue life of peened specimens are longer than the non-peened ones. In addition, the numerical results showed that compressive residual stresses were induced at weld toe and root by hammer peening, moreover that the accumulated plastic strains during cyclic loading can explain the experimental results in terms of fatigue life extension.