Sub-modelling based fatigue evaluation of welded details in composite trapezoidal corrugated web girders under coupled thermal-structural loading

Exploring the long-term performance of welded details in composite trapezoidal corrugated web (TCW) girders is a significant focus for the service life of these structures exposed to atmospheric environment and traffic flow. The majority of the present studies have been conducted without accounting for thermal stresses induced by temperature differences and accurately reflecting internal force transfers for the composite girders in flexural bending. The fatigue behaviour of the welded details in these girders under coupled thermal-structural loading is investigated herein through experimental and numerical methods. The results indicated three stages for the structural degradation from the test performance and justified a proper allowance of the cross-sectional stress in coordination with the flexural curvature in the derivation of S-N relations comparable to similar details in related design codes. A sub-modelling procedure is implemented to capture the thermal gradient, the local stress concentration, and the crack distribution in global modelling while replicate the semi-elliptical surface crack at the external side of the fillet weld toe in local modelling. The fatigue lives predicted from the proposed analytical model match reasonably well with experimental and numerical results, indicating its good applicability incorporating characteristic geometric correction factors into classical theoretical calculation for fatigue evaluation.