Stress intensity factors of the rib-to-deck welded joint at the crossbeam conjunction in OSDs

Abstract

The orthotropic steel decks (OSDs) are one of the most widely used bridge components, especially in moveable and long span bridges. Numerous cracks have been detected in this type of deck in existing bridges, mainly in the welded joints. The fatigue performance of the bridge deck dominates its design. Among them, the crack at the rib-to-deck joint is one of the most representative types. At the crossbeam conjunction, high stress concentration makes the joint more sensitive to fatigue loading. In this paper, finite element models are built using software program Abaqus integrated with FRANC3D. The calculated stress at uncracked stage is validated with measured data obtained from laboratory tests. Afterwards, cracks are inserted at the weld root and the stress intensity factor ranges in mode I (ΔKI) are calculated. Parametric analysis with various cracks is carried out. General correction factors are calculated from the finite element calcualtion with the power fit values.