• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.319-329
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• 2018

The field around additional cutout of the floor beam web in orthotropic bridge deck was subjected to high stress concentration, especially the weld toe between floor beam and U shaped rib and the free edge of the additional cutout. Based on different considerations, different geometrical parameters of additional cutout were proposed in European, American and Japanese specifications, and there remained remarkable differences among them. In this study, considering influence of out-of-plane deformation of floor beam web and U shaped rib, parameter analysis for additional cutout under typical load cases was performed by fine finite element method. The influence of additional cutout shape and height to the stress distribution around the additional cutout were investigated and analyzed. Meanwhile, the static and fatigue test on this structure details was carried out. The stress distribution was consistent with the finite element analysis results. The fatigue property for additional cutout height of 95mm was slightly better than that of 61.5 mm.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2007

Additional cutouts in the floorbeam webs of orthotropic plated bridge decks relieve the highly stressed lower flange of the ribs passing through these floorbeam webs from possible fatigue damage. Conversely, the floorbeam webs themselves suffer from high stress concentrations, especially along the free edges of the additional cutouts. These stresses result from a combination of direct introduction of vertical traffic loads in the weakened web and from the truss action of the floorbeam. The latter differs from a simple beam action due to the presence of the openings and corresponds more to the behaviour of a Vierendeel truss. Close assessment of the appearing stresses, highly relevant for fatigue resistance, requires the use of elaborate finite element modelling. However, a full finite element analysis merely provides the results of total stresses, leaving the researcher or designer the difficult task of finding the origin of these stress components. This paper presents a calculation method for cutout stresses based on a combination of a framework analysis and a two dimensional finite element analysis of much smaller parts of the floorbeam. This method provides more insight in the origin of the stress components, as well as it simplifies any comparison of different additional cutout geometries, independent of the floorbeam topology.