Fatigue resistance of rib-to-deck welded joint in OSDs, analyzed by fracture mechanics

The orthotropic steel decks (OSDs) are widely used in bridge engineering to support traffic loads. A possible crack, initiating from the weld toe of rib-to-deck welded joint and growing into the deck plate, is studied using linear elastic fracture mechanics. A detailed FE model is created and the results are compared with the fatigue tests published. Good agreement is found between beach marks from experiments and calculated crack fronts in FE. An engineering approach with the crack shape simplified as a semi-ellipse is applied. Geometric correction factors for a hand calculation method is proposed based on the parametric analysis. Using the proposed correction factors, Monte Carlo simulation is carried out with failure criteria defined with respect of the crack depth reaching “50%” of the deck thickness, “75%” of the deck thickness, and the failure criterion “2A FAD” according to BS7910. Predicted results using the failure criterion “75%” show good agreement with experimental data, for 5%, 50%, and 95% survival probabilities. Effects of initial crack shapes and sizes are discussed using the improved hand calculation model. Lower fatigue resistance is found when the initial crack is shallow or large. In addition to the standard weld geometry in which the weld profile is represented by a straight line, concave and convex arc shape weld profiles are studied. Fatigue resistance is improved in the case with assumption of concave arc weld profile. The difference of fatigue resistance between the cases with a straight line and convex arc weld profiles is small.