VARIABILITY OF FRACTURE TOUGHNESS IN A514/517 PLATE, EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

On June 13, 1970, a brittle fracture developed in one of the three tension flanges of a large steel box girder bridge under construction at Bryte Bend, California, as the concrete deck was being placed. This report presents a summary evaluation of the extensive fracture toughness and failure analysis data that were gathered by and for the California Department of Transportation in connection with the investigation of the cause of the brittle fracture. The study also included consideration of the steels used in a second bridge at Tuolumne River, California, which was simultaneously under construction and incorporated the same type of steel used in the Bryte Bend bridge. In addition, the characteristics of steels used to repair and reinforce these two bridges were also studied. The report recommends that bridges which have been fabricated from A514/517 Grade-F or Grade-H steels comparable to those used in the Bryte Bend and Tuolumne River Bridges be given frequent careful inspections as well as a realistic design review. The report also recommends that whenever A514/517 Grade-H steel is proposed for use in bridge construction, stringent test requirements should be imposed (depending upon thickness, redundancy, welding process, etc.) as a condition of use in main load carrying member. /FHWA/

Media Info

  • Pagination: 34 p.

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00165778
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: Federal Highway Administration
  • Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-RD-76- 37 Final Rpt., FCP 35F2-142
  • Contract Numbers: DOT-FH-118250(T.O.7)
  • Files: NTL, TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
  • Created Date: Mar 29 1978 12:00AM