Fatigue Behavior of Connection Plate between Main Girder and Cross Beam in Composite Plate Girder(Welding Mechanics, Strength & Design)

Since urban freeway bridges were opened for traffic more than ten years ago, there have been so many reports on the necessity of reparing cracks and deformations. For an example, the cracks at the connection plate between girder and lateral load-distribution cross beam are reported, and also the cracks at the connection plate between girder and sway bracings for composite plate girders. The investigation for the cracks, the establishment of repair and reinforcement method, and the feedback to the design standard specifications are now urged and many arguments are in progress in many places. In this research, we would like to find out one of the effective solutions by fabricating the test girders with the previous design and with present design, investigating the effects of the rigidity of the cross beam upon the fatigue crack and comparing and discussing the proposed structual details.