Investigation of fatigue performance of welded details in long-span steel bridges using long-term monitoring strain data

• DOI: 10.1002/stc.1747
• Publication Date: 2015-03-27T22:10:52Z
• Authors: Yang Deng; Yang Liu; Dong-Ming Feng; Ai-Qun Li
• Keywords: 02 engineering and technology; 0201 civil engineering

Monitoring strain data provides possibilities for the fatigue assessment of critical components in real structures under operational conditions. This paper presents a case study on investigation performance welded details. Long-term monitoring 4 years between 2006 and 2009 collected by structural health system mounted Runyang Suspension Bridge Cable-stayed are utilized. The focuses two aspects: (i) effects different raw damage (ii) necessity long-term measurement evaluation. results indicate that temperature effect stress range spectrum is negligible. enormous low-level cycles caused random interference would result erroneous equivalent ranges number cycles, thus should be eliminated from spectrum. Through in-depth analysis three special months 3 years, respectively, it revealed short-term monitored few days medium-term not adequate enough to reveal actual behaviors steel bridges give inaccurate life prediction. Finally, predictions types details considering traffic flow growth carried out. Lessons learned expected enhance our understanding performances bridges. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.