Finite Element Investigation of the Fracture Potential of Highly Constrained Details in Steel Plate Members

摘要

Highly constrained details have been known to be the cause of brittle fractures in several plate girder bridges around the United States, as well as other types of structures such as ships and more recently buildings. In bridges, the constraint is introduced by attachments welded to the girder web. In ships and buildings, the constraint is introduced by welding intersecting plates together, similar to that observed in plate girders. A detailed finite element model was developed to study the potential for fracture of the detail through linear and nonlinear analyses. The linear analysis demonstrated the effect of having welded attachments on elevating triaxial stresses in the girder's web. The nonlinear analysis was needed to assess the triaxiality demand of the detail and the potential for the development of large brittle cracks in the girder.