West Gate Bridge: management of fatigue cracking
Melbourne’s 2.5km long West Gate Bridge includes an 848m long steel box girder portion, over the Yarra River, comprising cable-stayed spans and an orthotropic steel deck. As with other similar bridges throughout the world, the steel spans of the bridge have, in recent years, been experiencing an increasing incidence of fatigue cracking. VicRoads has been engaged in the implementation of a major programme of fatigue crack treatment works, though management of fatigue cracking has been a feature of the bridge maintenance task from early in its service life. With increases in traffic volume in recent years, the inspections to detect and monitor cracks and the treatment of fatigue-prone details have become a major component of the bridge maintenance task. The majority of the cracking is within or adjacent to the orthotropic deck plate and the result of stress concentrations in welded connections, due to local loads on the deck. This paper provides a summary of the typical fatigue cracks and the range of treatment details that has been developed. Finite element analysis has assisted in comparing options for fatigue repairs and assessing the improvement the repairs provide.
- Record URL:
-
Authors:
- Silla Sanchez, J
- Noonan, J
- Percy, R
- Conference:
- Publication Date: 2014-10
Language
- English
Media Info
- Pagination: 12p
-
Serial:
- Issue Number: 1.2
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Bridge management systems; Bridges; Case studies; Collapse; Condition surveys; Cracking; Maintenance; Steel; Surveillance
- Geographic Terms: Australia; Melbourne (Australia)
- ATRI Terms: Bridge failure; Bridge inspection; Bridge maintenance; Case study; Cracking
- ITRD Terms: 5579: Fatigue (mater)
- Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Maintenance and Preservation; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01550369
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: ARRB
- Files: ITRD, ATRI
- Created Date: Jan 21 2015 11:33AM