STATISTICAL EVALUATION OF AASHTO FATIGUE SPECIFICATIONS
Laboratory experimental data provided by Lehigh University of fatigue properties of various weldment details commonly used in steel highway bridges are subjected to statistical analysis. 1972 North Carolina vehicle traffic data obtained from the Federal Highway Administration are also analyzed. These two pieces of information are utilized to evaluate the fatigue life of two highway bridges. One of the bridges is very narrow and the other is of wider variety. It is found that the probabilities of fatigue failure of these two bridges are very small and wider bridges tend to be safer than narrower bridges. The data of fatigue properties of weldments and vehicular traffic are used also to evaluate the adequacy of the fatigue provisions of the 1973 AASHTO Specifications. Results indicate that the Specifications are overly conservative for wide bridges but adequate for narrower bridges. The manner in which the Specifications may be modified to yield bridges of uniform safety against fatigue is recommended. /FHWA/
-
Supplemental Notes:
- Prepared in cooperation with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and Highway Safety and the Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration.
-
Corporate Authors:
North Carolina State University, Raleigh
Highway Research Program, P.O. Box 5993
Raleigh, NC United States 27607 -
Authors:
- TUNG, C C
- Kusmez, K M
- Publication Date: 1975-11
Media Info
- Pagination: 81 p.
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Fatigue (Mechanics); Highway bridges; Metal bridges; Performance based specifications; Specifications; Statistical analysis; Steel bridges; Traffic loads; Weldments
- Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Data and Information Technology; Freight Transportation; Highways;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00178803
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: Federal Highway Administration
- Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-RD-78-S0732 Final Rpt., FCP 45F4-232
- Files: TRIS, USDOT
- Created Date: Sep 14 1978 12:00AM