Influence of material anisotropy on fatigue crack growth in C–Mn steels of existing structures

Rolled steel plates and sections are often applied in structures in such a way that the principal load direction corresponds with the rolling direction. Examples are beams, arches, or pylons of bridges, supporting beams of ship decks, and the main elements of crane structures. However, some types of structure are subjected to a multiaxial stress...

Fatigue crack growth retardation and acceleration in coupon specimens and tubular joint element specimens

This experimental study considers load sequence effects in fatigue crack growth in coupon specimens and in element specimens. The coupon specimens were standard edge crack configurations cyclically loaded under four point bending on base metal and welds, whereas the element specimens were full-scale axially loaded tubular joints. Whereas load...

Numerical simulation of fatigue crack growth rate and crack retardation due to an overload using a cohesive zone model

In this work, a numerical method is pursued based on a cohesive zone model (CZM). The method is aimed at simulating fatigue crack growth as well as crack growth retardation due to an overload. In this cohesive zone model, the degradation of the material strength is represented by a variation of the cohesive traction with respect to separation of...

Crack growth prediction of deck plate-stiffener joints in orthotropic steel bridge decks

Orthotropic deck structures are used in many steel bridges. Due to the typical detailing applied as around 1970, a significant number of deck structures constructed in that period suffer from fatigue damage. In many countries cracks have been detected, in particular in the weld between the deck plate and the trapezoidal stiffener. These cracks...

Numerical simulation of stable fatigue crack growth rate using a cohesive zone model

Predicting the remaining fatigue life of a structure with crack(s) is generally conducted by the fracture mechanics method. This method is aimed at predicting the crack growth and final fracture due to fluctuating loads. The crack growth curve required for these calculations is constructed on the basis of experiments. However, obtaining these...