Structural health monitoring of splice joint in a steel beam

Abstract

Nowadays, steel sections are extensively used in various constructions because of its lesser erection time and higher reliability. These members are connected either by welding or bolts. As time goes on, the structure degrades due to various reasons. In our study, the degradation of joints with bolted connections is presented. In reality, joints are damaged frequently when compared to the other parts of the structure. As bridges are generally of long spans, splicing is done to ensure the continuity of the spans and this splicing is done with the help of welding or bolts. Loosening of bolts is the most common damage that occurs in bolts, making the joint act like a semi-rigid joint. We have considered a bridge model consisting of two beams connected by splicing with bolts’ help, and this entire modelling is done in ABAQUS 6.13. Our intention to study the behaviour of the joint in both damaged and undamaged case. Loosening of bolts is considered as damage, and deflection of the joint is considered as the extent of the damage. We have performed a static analysis of the model. Theoretical validation is also done by developing an elemental stiffness matrix with semi-rigid connections using fixity factors.