1

Nominal Stress Based

Fatigue Design
Department of Civil Engineering
Tokyo Institute of Technology
Contents Contents
1. 1. Introduction Introduction
2. 2. Fatigue Design Curve Fatigue Design Curve
3. 3. Strength Categories of Joints Strength Categories of Joints a and Their Basic nd Their Basic
Allowable Stress Ranges Allowable Stress Ranges
4. 4. Correction Factor for Basic Allowable Stress Correction Factor for Basic Allowable Stress
Ranges Ranges
5. 5. Fatigue Assessment Fatigue Assessment
6. 6. Fatigue Design Curves from Fatigue Design Curves from IIW and AASHTO IIW and AASHTO
Fatigue Design Recommendations
Safety Assessment
in the Fatigue Limit State of Steel Structural Members
Fatigue Design Recommendations Fatigue Design Recommendations
For Steel Structures For Steel Structures
By Japanese Society of Steel Construction (JSSC)
1993(in Japanese), 1995(in English)
Other Organizations with Recommendations:
AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials),
IIW (International Institute of Welding) ,
The Reference of Todays Lecture
Introduction
Used Steels
in Akashi Bridge (1998)
Stress Strain Relationship of
Various Types of Steels
S
t
r
e
s
s
Strain
2
Steels
Steels intended for the Recommendations
are carbon steel and low alloy steel
Ultimate Strengths:
High Strength Bolts up to 1.2GPa
Wires up to 1.6GPa
Steels 330MPa-1GPa
What What s Fatigue s Fatigue
Fatigue: Deterioration Fatigue: Deterioration of a component caused by of a component caused by
crack initiation and/or by crack initiation and/or by the growth of cracks. the growth of cracks.
Crack is initiated and propagate and causes fatigue Crack is initiated and propagate and causes fatigue
failure of the component under the repetition of failure of the component under the repetition of
load. load.
Fatigue limit : Fatigue strength under constant Fatigue limit : Fatigue strength under constant
amplitude loading corresponding to a high number amplitude loading corresponding to a high number
of cycles large enough to be considered infinite by of cycles large enough to be considered infinite by
a design code. a design code.
IIW Fatigue Recommendation 2005 Feb.
Why fatigue becomes problems Why fatigue becomes problems
After the propagation, crack may lead to brittle After the propagation, crack may lead to brittle
fracture to cause structural failure. fracture to cause structural failure.
Common sense for statistic design is not Common sense for statistic design is not
applicable. Local stress concentration dominate applicable. Local stress concentration dominate
the phenomena. Fatigue strength of each the phenomena. Fatigue strength of each
connection type differs. connection type differs.
Evaluation of fatigue damaged part based on Evaluation of fatigue damaged part based on
stress analysis is sometimes hard to apply. stress analysis is sometimes hard to apply.
Knowledge and experience of fatigue are
required for judgment of retrofitting
Characteristics of fatigue damage Characteristics of fatigue damage 1 1
Stress range and repetition Stress range and repetition
Most influential factors on fatigue are Most influential factors on fatigue are stress range stress range
and number of and number of repetition repetition of it. Fatigue strength of of it. Fatigue strength of
steel itself is increased with their strength, but fatigue steel itself is increased with their strength, but fatigue
strength of weld joints has little dependency on the strength of weld joints has little dependency on the
material strength. material strength.
Fatigue strength : Fatigue strength : Fatigue crack is initiated from Fatigue crack is initiated from weld weld
defects defects, , notch, or stress concentrated part notch, or stress concentrated part in weld in weld
joints and propagate. joints and propagate. Residual stress Residual stress influences on influences on
the fatigue strength. the fatigue strength.
Characteristics of fatigue damage 2 Characteristics of fatigue damage 2
Crack propagation Crack propagation
After propagation, Crack will break the material with After propagation, Crack will break the material with
brittle fracture brittle fracture, or will , or will stop stop propagation after the propagation after the
release of stress due to the cracking. release of stress due to the cracking.
Relation between stress range and fatigue life Relation between stress range and fatigue life
Linear relation on Log Linear relation on Log- -Log plot Log plot
Fatigue in highway bridge : Fatigue in highway bridge : People considered that People considered that
Fatigue of primary member never happen except Fatigue of primary member never happen except
Steel deck under vehicle Steel deck under vehicle s load in Japan before. s load in Japan before.
Fatigue strength Fatigue strength
Static strength : Yielding Static strength : Yielding
and breaking with ductile and breaking with ductile
manner manner
Fatigue strength : Under Fatigue strength : Under
the load repetition, break the load repetition, break
without ductility without ductility
stress
time
1 cyclw (Number N )
Stress range

1 time
10 time
s
t
r
e
s
s

r
a
n
g
e

:

l
a
r
e
g
e
s
t
r
e
s
s

r
a
n
g
e

:

s
m
a
l
l
Static loading and fatigue loading
Broken
Not broken
N
S-N Curve
S
t
r
e
s
s

r
a
n
g
e

Fatigue Limit
3
Predominant Factors
Controlling Fatigue Strength
1. Joint Types
2. The Magnitude of The Nominal
Stress Range
3. Number of Stress Cycles
Joint Types
1. Welded Connections
o Transverse butt welded joints
o Longitudinal welded joints
o Cruciform joints
o Gusset joints
o Other welded joints
3. High Strength Bolted Connections
2. Cable Connections
Partial penetration weld
Root crack
Full penetration weld
toe crack
toe crack
In bridge structures, fatigues are initiated In bridge structures, fatigues are initiated
from stress concentrated part of welding joints. from stress concentrated part of welding joints.
Strongly dependent on geometry of welding Strongly dependent on geometry of welding
Fatigue : initiate from welding Fatigue : initiate from welding
Fatigue of welded structures
discussed in Lec #6
fatigue strength of weld joint in plate girder fatigue strength of weld joint in plate girder
Fatigue strengths are specified for each joint type
Fillet Weld
Full Pene.from
both side
non-load-carry cruciform
joint without bead treatment
out-of-plane gusset
with fillet weld (l>100)
Base metal
machine finished
Nominal Stress Ranges
Out-of-Plane Gussets
Longitudinal joint
In-Plane Gusset
Longitudinal joint
Nominal Stress Distribution at
Section
Structures subjected to loads
compression
tension
Bending
Fatigue stress on a gusset Fatigue stress on a gusset
stress stress
1. 1. nominal nominal
stress stress
2. 2. structural hot structural hot
spot stress spot stress
3. 3. notch stress notch stress
concentration concentration
due to weld due to weld
bead bead
4
Type of Stress for Fatigue Assessment Type of Stress for Fatigue Assessment
hot hot- -spot structural spot structural
stress approach stress approach
Range of hot Range of hot- -spot spot
structural stress structural stress
A + B + structural A + B + structural
discontinuities due to the discontinuities due to the
structural detail of the structural detail of the
welded joint, but excluding welded joint, but excluding
the notch effect of the weld the notch effect of the weld
toe transition toe transition
C C
a) Fracture mechanics a) Fracture mechanics
approach approach
b) effective notch b) effective notch
stress approach stress approach
Range of elastic Range of elastic
notch stress (total notch stress (total
stress) stress)
A + B + C + notch stress A + B + C + notch stress
concentration due to the concentration due to the
weld bead notches weld bead notches
a) actual notch stress a) actual notch stress
b) effective notch stress b) effective notch stress
D D
Nominal stress Nominal stress
approach approach
Range of nominal Range of nominal
stress (also modified stress (also modified
or local nominal or local nominal
stress) stress)
A + A + macrogeometrical macrogeometrical
effects due to the design of effects due to the design of
the component, but the component, but
excluding stress risers due excluding stress risers due
to the welded joint itself. to the welded joint itself.
B B
not applicable for not applicable for
fatigue analysis, only fatigue analysis, only
component testing component testing
Gross average stress Gross average stress
from sectional forces from sectional forces
General analysis of General analysis of
sectional forces using beam sectional forces using beam
theory, theory,
no stress raiser considered no stress raiser considered
A A
Assessment procedure Assessment procedure Stress determined Stress determined Stress raisers Stress raisers Type Type
Solid detailed
FEM model
with bead
Beam model
Shell model
Shell or Solid
model
Type of stress Type of stress
Local nominal stress
includes
The effects of macro-
geometric features of
the component
stress fields in the
vicinity of
concentrated loads
significant shell
bending stress
modified nominal stress modified nominal stress
shear lag
near concentrated load
eccentric joint
Large opening
Calculation of Nominal Stress Calculation of Nominal Stress
1. Use elementary theories of structural mechanics (linear
elastic)
2. FEM may be used in case,
1. over-determined structures
2. macro-geometric discontinuities
meshing can be simple and coarse (3*t),
CARE must be taken to ensure that all stress
raising effects of the structural detail of the weld
joints are excluded (stress concentration due to
weld joint)
Stress Cycles
Constant Amplitude Stresses
Variable Amplitude Stresses
max
min
Number of cycles
S
t
r
e
s
s
e
s
Number of cycles
S
t
r
e
s
s
e
smax
min
Fatigue Design Curves
5
Fatigue
Cut-off Limit
S
t
r
e
s
s

R
a
n
g
e
,

S
r
Number of Stress Cycles, N
10
5
10
6
10
7
10
8
Typical Fatigue Design Curves
Log-log relationship
The curve that represents the relationship between
the stress range and the fatigue life

=constant
What N can you get
if stress is reduced
to half?
Welded Joints Subjected to Normal Stress
Fatigue Design Curves (1)
2 x 10
6
cycles
joint class
2 million allowable
fatigue stress range
Cables and High Strength Bolts Subjected to
Normal Stress
Fatigue Design Curves (2)
K1 to K5:
Strength
Category
2 x 10
6
cycles
Fatigue Design Curves (3)
Welded Joints Subjected to Shear Stress
2 x 10
6
cycles
Strength Categories of Joints
And Their Basic Allowable Stress Ranges
Non-Welded Joints (1)
1. Plates
2. Shaped
steel
A
(190)
B
(155)
C
(125)
B (155)
B
(155)
C
(125)
Strength categories
(basic allowable stress ranges)
6
Non-Welded Joints (2)
3. Seamless tubes B (155)
4. Base plates with circular holes
5. Base
plates with
cut out
gussets
6. Base plates of
friction type bolted
connection
7. Base plates of bearing type bolted connection
8. Base plates with holes and bolts, which do
not transfer the loads along the direction of
stress
C (125)
C (125)
C (125)
C (125)
B (155)
B (155)
B (155)
B
(155)
D (100)
D (100)
Transverse Butt Welded Joints
1. With ground flush surfaces B(155)
2. With finished weld toe
3. As-welded
joint
C(125)
D(100)
D(100)
F (65)
F (65)
Longitudinal Welded Joints
1. Complete penetration
groove welded joints
from both sides
B(155)
2. Partial penetration groove welded joints
3. Fillet welded joints
4. Welded joints with backing bars
5. Intermittent fillet welded joints
6. Welded joints with copes
7. Welded joints
adjacent to fillets of
cut out gussets
C(125)
D(100)
D(100)
E(80)
E(80)
G(50)
D
(100)
E
(80)
Cruciform Joints (1)
Non load-carrying type
1. Fillet welded joints with smooth weld toes D(100)
2. Fillet welded joints with finished weld toes
3. As-welded fillet welded joints
4. Fillet welded joints including start and stop position
5. Fillet welded joints of
hollow section
D(100)
E(80)
E(80)
F(65)
G(50)
Cruciform Joints (2)
Load-carrying type
6. Complete
penetration
weld
D(100)
7. Toe
failure
8. Root failure
9. Hollow section
D(100)
E(80)
F(65)
E(80)
E(80)
F(65)
F(65)
H(40)
H(40)
H(40) F
i
l
l
e
t

o
r

p
a
r
t
i
a
l

p
e
n
e
t
r
a
t
i
o
n
as-welded
as-welded
Gusset Joints
1. Joints with fillet
welded or groove
welded gusset
E(80)
I
n

p
l
a
n
e

g
u
s
s
e
t
s
O
u
t

o
f

p
l
a
n
e

g
u
s
s
e
t
s
2. Joints with groove welded gusset with fillet
3. Joints with fillet welded gusset
4. Joints with
groove welded
gusset (L>100mm)
5. Joints with groove
welded gusset with
fillet
6. Joints with groove
welded gusset
7. Base plate with lap-welded gusset
F(65)
E(80)
G(50)
F(65)
G(50)
D(100)
E(80)
F(65)
G(50)
H(40)
H(40)
1:(L100mm)
3,4(L>100mm)
7
Other Welded Joints
1. Joints with fillet
welded cover plates
(l<300mm)
E(80)
F(65)
D(100)
G(50)
E(80)
S(80)
H(40)
H(40)
H(40)
S(80)
2. Joints with fillet
welded cover plates
(l>300mm)
3. Welded studs
4. Lapped joints
Cables and High Strength Bolts
1. Cables
K1(270)
2. Cable
anchorages
3. High strength
bolts
K2(200)
K1(270)
K2(200)
K3(150)
K4(65)
K5(50)
Correction Factor for Basic Allowable
Stress Ranges
Allowable Stress Range,
Difference between real joints and the
experimental specimens in scale and residual
stress
Correction for allowable stress ranges
Allowable stress range = Basic allowable stress range
X C
R
X C
T
Effect of mean stress
Effect of
plate thickness
o A ( )
R
o A
R
Effect of Mean Stress (1)
= R
= 0 R
= 1 R
S
t
r
e
s
s
Cycles
> 0 R
( ) o o o = +
1
max min 2
(mean stress)
m
o
o
=
min
max
(stress ratio) R
o
min
o
max
o
m
Variation of stress ratios, R
Max and min stress under D+L case are
used for calculation of R
Effect of Mean Stress (2)
= R
= 0 R
= 1 R
o A | |
|
\ .
1.3
2
f
o A | |
|
\ . 2
f
0
Mean stress
Stress amplitude
| |
= s
|

\ .
1
1.3 for -1
1.6
R
R
C R
R
R>1 -1<R<1 R-1
8
Effect of Plate Thickness
=
4
25
t
C
t
Fatigue strength decreases with increase of
plate thickness in some kinds of joints
for t > 25 mm
thickness
Example: Cruciform joints
Stress Fluctuation
and
Stress Range Histograms
Stress Fluctuation
Strain responses due to running vehicle
At the bottom flange
of the main girder
running
Stress records
Stresses vary
with positions of
loads
Variable
amplitude
stresses
How to calculate
stress cycles ??
time
stress
rainflow method

frequency
s
t
r
e
s
s

r
a
n
g
e

(4) Estimation of fatigue life, (4) Estimation of fatigue life,

Fatigue damage Fatigue damage
Rain Flow Counting Method
A method for determining a stress range histogram
from variable amplitude stresses
Analogy
The flow
of drops
of rain
down a
pagoda
roof.
Origin point of rain drop
Rainflow Rainflow Method Method
cycles
2-3
5-6
4-7
8-9
11-12
open
1-10-13
9
Strain gauge
Bottom flange
at mid span
Strain gauge
Bottom flange
at mid span
Stress Range Histogram
Example: Oosaka Bridge, Japan
Plot of Stress ranges and Frequencies obtained
from the rain flow counting method
Cumulative Damage
( ) =
i i
D n N
s
t
r
e
s
s
frequency
S
1
S
i
n
1
n
i
Stress range histogram
S
1
S
i
n
i
n
1
S-N curve
N
1
N
i
Cumulative damage, D
Linear cumulative damage rule
proposed by Miner
D = 1 Failures
Linear Damage Calculation Linear Damage Calculation
by ' by 'Palmgren Palmgren- -Miner" Miner"
Summation Summation
Equivalent Stress Range
Constant amplitude stress range, which causes fatigue damage
equivalent to the same repeated number of variable amplitude
stresses
s
t
r
e
s
s
frequency
S
1
S
i
n
1
n
i
Stress range histogram

m
i i
m
e
i
n
=
n
e

m = 3 for normal stress

m = 5 for shear stress
where
Fatigue Assessment
Fatigue Design Load
T Load
Design specifications for highway bridge
Japan Road Association (JRA)
Safety Factors
1. Redundancy factor,
When damage occurs in the objective joint, it will
affect the whole structure strength
2. Importance factor,
Degree of importance of a structure (social effect)
3. Inspection factor,
Damage-detection probability by periodic inspections

i
(0.8 - 1.1)
(0.8 - 1.1)
(0.9 - 1.1)

b

w

i
x x
< 1.25 0.8 <
Limitation
( ) o o A s A
b w i d R
10
Fatigue Assessment
Based on Equivalent Stress Range
( )
o o A s A
b w i d R
where
o A
d
= design stress range = equivalent stress range, o A
e
o A
R
= allowable stress range
This equation should be satisfied.
Basic of fatigue design in Steel highway bridge in Basic of fatigue design in Steel highway bridge in
Japan Japan
Avoid low fatigue strength joints and joints Avoid low fatigue strength joints and joints
whose quality is whose quality is uncontrolable uncontrolable. .
Use tough structural detail to fatigue : refer to Use tough structural detail to fatigue : refer to
"Fatigue of steel bridge" "Fatigue of steel bridge"
Require quality control of welding to assure Require quality control of welding to assure
fatigue strength. (Allowable defect size, fatigue strength. (Allowable defect size,
inspection area) inspection area)
Guideline is adopted to temporary members for Guideline is adopted to temporary members for
election, stiffening, etc.. election, stiffening, etc..
Fatigue design guideline for steel highway bridge Fatigue design guideline for steel highway bridge
Flow of fatigue design
Y ADTT nt
n SLi i
= 365
=
i i
i
N
nt
D
determine stress
range
change detail
end
start
detail design
e.g. steel deck plate
YES
NO
NG
NG
OK
OK
t R CE
C C A s A o o
max
m
t R
i
i
C C
C N

|
.
|

\
| A
=
o
0
Avoid low fatigue strength
joints and joints whose
quality is uncontrollable.
Use tough structural detail
to fatigue
clear relation between
acutual stress and
anlysed stress
t R
CE
C C
A
A
o
o
max maximum stress range
cutoff limit for constant amp.
corection for average stress, thickness
end
Fatigue Design Curves from
IIW and AASHTO
IIW (International Institute of Welding : old)
Welded joints subjected
to Normal Stresses
Welded joints subjected
to Shear Stresses
14 categories
2 categories
IIW (International Institute of Welding : new)
Welded joints subjected to Normal Stress
14 categories
11
AASHTO
American Association of State Highway and
Transportation Officials
8 categories
m = 3
Comparison of Strength Categories
Transverse butt welded joints
With ground flush surfaces
As-welded joint
both side welds
JSSC IIW ASSHTO
155 125 125
100 100
(toe angle = 30)
89
80
(other toe angle)
Comparison of Strength Categories
Longitudinal welded joints
Complete penetration
groove welded joints from
both sides
As-welded
JSSC IIW ASSHTO
125 125
(without
stop/start
positions)
125
90
(with
stop/start
positions)
Cruciform joints
As-welded fillet welded joints
JSSC IIW ASSHTO
80 80 89
Comparison of Strength Categories
Non load-carrying type
Fillet welded joints with
finished welded toes
100 100 -
Cruciform joints
Comparison of Strength Categories
Load-carrying type
JSSC IIW ASSHTO
Complete penetration weld
as-welded
80 71 -
Fillet weld or Incomplete
penetration weld
as-welded (Toe failure)
65 63 -
Comparison of Strength Categories
Gusset joints
JSSC IIW ASSHTO
Joints with fillet welded or
groove welded gusset
(L<=100 mm)
as-welded
65 80
(L<50)
71
(L<150)
89
(L<50)
71
(50<L<100)
Out-of-plane gusset
L
12
Comparison of Strength Categories
Gusset joints
JSSC IIW ASSHTO
Joints with groove welded
gusset
as-welded
40 50
(L<150)
45
(L<300)
40
(L>300)
89
(L<50)
71
(50<L<100)
For L>100
56 (t<25)
40 (t>25)
In-plane gusset
L
t
Comparison of Strength Categories
Lapped joints
JSSC IIW ASSHTO
At base plates and splice
plates
40 50 40