Influence of Fatigue Loading in Shear Failures of Reinforced Concrete Members without Transverse Reinforcement

Shear fatigue of reinforced concrete members without transverse reinforcement has been observed to be potentially governing for the strength of some structural members subjected to large live loads of repetitive nature (as traffic, wind or wave actions). Although extensive experimental programmes have been performed in the past and a rational approach to the problem can be performed on the basis of Fracture Mechanics, most design codes still ground shear fatigue design on empirical equations fitted on the basis of existing data. These empirical formulas show inconsistency amongst them and some neglect potentially relevant parameters as the ratio of maximum and minimum fatigue load levels. In this paper, a consistent design approach is presented, by using the principles of Fracture Mechanics applied to quasi-brittle materials in combination with the Critical Shear Crack Theory. This approach leads to a simple, yet sound and rational, design equation incorporating the different influences of fatigue actions (minimum and maximum load levels) and shear strength (size and strain effects, material and geometrical properties). The accuracy of the design expression is checked against available test data in terms of Wöhler (S-N) and Goodman diagrams, showing consistent agreement to experimental evidence. In addition, the estimate of the number of cycles until failure is shown to be significantly more accurate and with lower scatter than current empirical shear fatigue formulations of Eurocode 2 or fib-Model Code 2010.

Connections by Adhesion, Interlocking and Friction for Steel-Concrete Composite Bridges under Static and Cyclic Loading

Dimitrios Papastergiou

Steel-concrete composite bridges with twin-I steel girders and prefabricated slabs constitute an economical and competitive solution for small and medium bridge spans. In recent years they have started to gain their share in the construction market. However, the current slab-to-girder connection with groups of headed shear stud connectors is not well adapted for prefabrication and fast erection, and does not respond successfully to the durability of the construction. New types of connections by adhesion, interlocking and friction constitute a conception that aims to answer these demands. The resistance of these connections is based on the development of longitudinal shear stresses in the interfaces which form the connection. The goals of this study are to complete the existing research in this field by proposing scientific tools in order to predict the connection's structural performance, i.e. prediction of the connection's ultimate resistance and deformation capacity, including the post-failure behaviour. In addition, the behaviour of the connection under cyclic loading is also investigated to assess the connection's resistance to fatigue and to propose a design method for composite bridges under fatigue loading. To fulfill theses goals a combinational methodology was applied which included: study of the state of the art: a) in composite bridges so as to define the requirements and b) in interface behaviour in order to emphasize the parameters which are responsible for the resistance and obtain information for the nature of cyclic loading damage mechanisms, experimental investigations: a) to reveal the laws describing the interfaces and the connection's behaviour for static and cyclic loading, and provide data for development of analytical expressions and model validation and b) demonstrate the capacity of a composite beam under cyclic loading and the extent of its remaining resistance at ultimate limit state, analytical studies: a) to produce the laws describing the interface behaviour under static and cyclic loading and b) to evaluate the impact of the cyclic loading to the slip in the interfaces and in the connection and thus propose a damage factor for cyclic loading, finite element analysis in order to enable an analytical description of the confinement effect, caused by the reinforced concrete slab, which contributes to the resistance, the development of a numerical model to predict the connection's structural performance and to propose a design method for composite bridges fabricated with the new connection. Application of the mentioned methodology resulted in several useful conclusions: The interface behaviour can be described by analytical laws. The post failure behaviour of the interfaces was explained by accounting for the kinematics of the failed surface and basic notions of fracture mechanics. The damage due to cyclic loading on the interfaces and on the connection is expressed by the accumulation of a residual slip. Provided that the shear stresses remain lower than an elastic limit and the accumulated slip does not exceed the failure slip for static loading, fatigue failure is avoided. The confinement effect was incorporated, analytically, together with the laws of the interface behaviour in a numerical model to predict the connection's structural performance and allow a parametrical study. A design method for the verification of composite beams under static and cyclic loading was developed.

EPFL2012

Static and Fatigue Shear Strength of Reinforced Concrete Slabs Under Concentrated Loads Near Linear Supports

Francisco Manuel Maciel Natário

Reinforced concrete slabs without shear reinforcement under concentrated loads near linear supports are typical cases of bridge deck slabs, transfer slabs or pile caps. Such members are often designed or assessed in shear/punching shear with code provisions calibrated on the basis of tests on beams or one-way slabs loaded over the full width, as well as tests on isolated flat slab elements supported on columns in axis-symmetric conditions. However, these tests are not representative of the actual behavior of slabs under concentrated loads near linear supports. Moreover, concentrated loads of heavy vehicles have a repetitive nature, causing loss of stiffness and potential strength reductions due to fatigue phenomena. In this thesis, two experimental campaigns are presented. The first one consists of twelve static tests on six full-scale cantilever slabs subjected to a concentrated load with a central line support, that allows tracing the linear reaction evolution. Parameters such as the location of the concentrated load, and the presence, material and injection of ducts were varied. All slabs failed in shear and significant redistributions of the linear reactions were observed prior to failure. The second campaign has a similar test setup and consists of four static tests on two full-scale cantilever slabs (reference tests) and other eleven fatigue tests on eight identical slabs. The results show that cantilever slabs are significantly less sensitive to shear-fatigue failures than beams without shear reinforcement. The static reference tests presented shear failures. Some of the fatigue tested slabs failed due to rebar fractures. They presented significant remaining life after the first rebar failure occurred and eventually failed due to shear. The shear failures exhibited by the static tests on cantilever slabs from this thesis and others from the literature can be reasonably predicted with the Critical Shear Crack Theory (CSCT), provided that the influence of direct load strutting and redistribution of internal forces is accounted for, and that no contribution due to the inclination of tapered members to shear transferring is considered. Simply supported slabs under concentrated loads near linear supports may exhibit shear or punching shear failures. Factors like the ratio between the dimension of the load parallel to the support and the slab width, or the type of loading (monolithic or not) seem to be crucial to determine the failure mode. In this thesis it is proposed to use the CSCT for both shear and non-axis-symmetric punching shear combined with certain proposals on how to determine the internal forces and punching perimeter lengths to assess tests from the literature. The proposed approaches are not fully capable of predicting the correct failure mode, but allow a safe design. A reasonable accuracy is obtained, either knowing or not a priori the correct failure mode. A consistent design approach for shear-fatigue failures of reinforced concrete members without shear reinforcement is also presented, based on FM applied to quasi-brittle materials in combination with the CSCT. This leads to simple, yet sound and rational design equation incorporating the different influences of fatigue actions (minimum and maximum load levels) and shear strength (size and strain effects, material and geometrical properties). The accuracy of the design expression is checked against available test data in terms of Wöhler (S-N) and Goodman diagram

EPFL2015

Reinforced concrete bridges under increased railway traffic loads

Andrin Herwig

The aim of this thesis is to provide rational engineering methods for the fatigue safety examination of existing railway bridges. Increasing railway traffic loading and enhanced structural analysis allow for higher exploitation of the capacity of bridge elements. This implies that increasing action effects due to higher service loads may become fatigue relevant in the future. The application of the results allows for more precise fatigue examinations. As beneficial consequence, most railway bridges may be operated safely in the future without costly strengthening measures. Calculated stress ranges in the reinforcement that governs the fatigue resistance of structural elements are too high when using conventional resistance models. The load carrying contribution of non-structural elements and a not entirely developed crack pattern lead to fatigue relevant reduction of the stress range in the rebars. A theoretical study shows that reductions of 5 – 15 % may be obtained by considering the composite effect of the continuous rail grid. Measurements of the dynamic traffic effects were conducted on a single-track bridge. The effects of passenger and freight trains at different velocities on the structural response were measured. The results are interpreted based on the observed vertical shape of the railway track. The observed dynamic behaviour could be correctly represented by simulations using simple dynamic models. The effect of other velocities and in-creased carriage loading degrees are investigated in a parametric study. The findings of previous investigations for road bridges and the investigations of this research work for railway bridges show that the Dynamic Amplification Factor (DAF) decreases for increasing loadings. Thus, smaller DAFs are applied for fatigue relevant causing heavy vehicles. Fatigue stress ranges may be reduced by supplementary 3 – 6 %. A method based on Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics theory is presented for fatigue life determination. Fatigue life typically is very sensitive to different calculation parameters, rendering the calculation of a reliable fatigue life difficult. The refined analysis of fatigue tests reported in literature allows better understanding of the fatigue behaviour of bridge elements. Thus, a fatigue safety concept is established that compensates the inconvenience of the high sensitivity of fatigue life calculations. This fatigue safety concept is based on the observed load carrying behaviour of inspected bridge elements. The specific fatigue behaviour with visible signs allows for the examination of fatigue safety in a pragmatic way. Specific inspection of bridge elements becomes pertinent as soon as general examinations exhibit an insufficient fatigue resistance. Fatigue behaviour of Ultra-High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concretes (UHPFRC) is characterised by increasing deformations during cyclic tensile loading. Under a maximum tensile stress level of 4 MPa the deformation of the UHPFRC layer becomes stable during cyclic loading. For slightly higher stresses, the deformation increases and the UHPFRC layer fails due to steel fibre pull out. Application of the UHPFRC layer in the flexural tension zone considerably reduces the fatigue stresses in the steel reinforcement. As the UHPFRC layer deforms, the stress range in the reinforcement is effectively and permanently reduced and may remain below the nominal fatigue limit. For design of members with a layer of UHPFRC for waterproofing and fatigue strengthening, the maximum allowed strain for stable behaviour under tensile fatigue loading should be verified.

EPFL2008