Fatigue – CIE5126

Part on Concrete and Concrete Structures

Y. Yang (J.A. den Uijl)

April 6, 2017

Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences

Department of Design and
Vermelding onderdeel Construction
organisatie

Objectives:
• Describe damaging process of (reinforced) concrete
• Crack development
• Strain related parameter
• How many and which parameters
• Apply formulae for practical case
• Calculate fatigue life of a structure e.g. bridge
Apply
Wohler diagram
Miner’s rule
Goodman Diagram

April 6, 2017 2

1
Introduction (1)

• Contents
• Importance of fatigue for concrete structures
• Fatigue of concrete
• In compression
• In tension (compression)
• Fatigue of reinforced concrete
• Steel
• Bond
• Shear
• Deformation

April 6, 2017 3

Introduction (2)

• Terminology
• Fatigue damaging process under repeated loading
• Fatigue limit alternating stress level below which no failure
occurs for an unlimited number of cycles
• Fatigue life number of stress cycles to failure for a
defined cyclic stress
• Fatigue strength alternating stress level corresponding to
fatigue failure for a defined number of cycles

April 6, 2017 4

2
Introduction (3)

• References (see Blackboard)

• Fatigue of concrete structures, CEB bulletin 188, 1988
• Mallett, G.P., Fatigue of reinforced concrete, 1991

April 6, 2017 5

Increasing Importance

• Ratio between variable load and self-weight increases

 greater stress range

• Increase of load intensity compared to design

• New applications

• Probabilistic design  fatigue check

April 6, 2017 6

3
Failure of bridge deck due to fatigue

April 6, 2017 7

April 6, 2017 8

4
Introduction (4)

Compression

Tension

Anchorage and bond

• Possible causes of failure due to fatigue

April 6, 2017 9

Concrete versus Steel

• Concrete
• Monolithic
• Composite material
• Many micro cracks
• Notch insensitive
• High scatter of
properties
• Emphasis on material
April 6, 2017
• Steel
• Connections
• Homogeneous material
• One macro crack
• Notch sensitive
• Low scatter of
properties
• Emphasis on connections
10

5
Risk of Fatigue Damage

• Increased by
• Secondary effects: crack width increase may result
in corrosion
• Reduced by
• Concrete strength increase after 28-days
• Redistribution of internal forces

April 6, 2017 11

Variable Stresses

• Actions
• Traffic, cranes, machines
• Wind, waves
• Restrained deformations
• Shrinkage / swelling
• Temperature
• Frost-thaw cycles

April 6, 2017 12

6
Number of Load Cycles

• Low-cycle high amplitude fatigue < 103 (seismic action;

not included)
• High-cycle low amplitude fatigue > 103
• 103-105 runways and bridges on airports
• 105-107 railroad and motorway bridges
concrete roads, railway sleepers
• 107-5×107 metro viaducts
• 5×107-108 offshore structures

April 6, 2017 13

Influencing Factors

• Internal - dimensions
- concrete composition
- reinforcement
• External - loading
- frequency
- rest periods
• Environmental - hardening conditions (temp., RH)
- working life
- corrosive, in/under water, ….
April 6, 2017 14

7
Concrete Material Aspects

• Properties - composition
- preparation and hardening
• Structure - inhomogeneous (dimensions coarse aggregate
compared to sectional dimensions)
- micro cracks (restrained volume changes;
temperature, shrinkage)
• Results in - high scatter
- relatively notch insensitive
- continuing hydration (self-healing)
- crack growth at many spots

April 6, 2017 15

Concrete in Compression (1)

• Compression stresses follow stiffest

path
• Tensile stresses required for
equilibrium
• Mortar-aggregate interface mostly
weakest link

April 6, 2017 16

8
Concrete in Compression (2)

tension compression

• Crack orientation as function of load direction

April 6, 2017 17

Concrete in Compression (3)

Stress
Volume
Transverse
Unstable crack growth

Longitudinal
Stable crack growth

Quasi-elastic

Strain

April 6, 2017 18

9
Stresses in Notched Member (1)

peak=300 MPa
• peak=nom × SCF
• SCF – Stress Concentration Factor
• Hole in plate SCF = 3
• Assume nom= 100 MPa
•  peak= 300 MPa

nom=100 MPa

April 6, 2017 19

Stresses in Notched Member (2)

240 • Assume yield = 240 MPa, variable average

stress, nom = 100 MPa and SCF = 3
• Criterion max ≤ yield

average stress
0 max/min
b nom peak
c a 0 0 150/-150 max<yield

a b 50 150 300/0 max>yield

c ≥30 ≥90 240/-60 max=yield
-240

April 6, 2017 20

10
Stresses at Fatigue Failure

• Notched elastic-plastic member

• Mostly yield stress is reached
• Failure after repeated yield strain
•  only stress range

• Brittle member
• Failure at fatigue strength
• Both maximum stress and stress range

April 6, 2017 21

Fatigue in Compression (1)

 max/fc Wöhler diagram

1,0
• x – logarithmic
0,8
• y – linear
0,6 • normalized stress
R = 0.6
0,4 R = 0.4 • stress range and level
R = 0.2  two parameters
0,2 R = 0.0

0,0
1, 0 0

max
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 0

stress range
log(N) - 1, 0 0

min

R min stress ratio
max
April 6, 2017 22

11
 Fatigue in Compression (2)

• Wöhler diagram
•  max  1    1  R   log N
fc Usually
0.064    0.080 simplified to
R   min /  max beta=1/14
• Normalized stress
• Fatigue strength related to static strength
• Quasi fatigue limit
• max/fc~0.4

April 6, 2017 23

Example: calculate max. number of

cycles
R=0; C35/45
 max/fc partial material factor 1.5
1,0

0,8 max =17.5 MPa

0,6
R = 0.6
Experimental:
0,4 R = 0.4 17.5/35 = 0.5
R = 0.2 Log N = 7 thus
0,2 R = 0.0
10.000.000
0,0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 Code: 17.5/(35/1.5) = 0.75
log(N) Log N = 3.5 thus
3162
To conclude ?
April 6, 2017 24

12
Fatigue in Compression (3)

/fc
0,8
min= • half-log scale
0,7 0,05
• normalized stress
0,2
0,6 • two parameters
0,4

0,5 • quasi fatigue limit

0,4

0,3
2 4 6 8 10 12
log N

April 6, 2017 25

Scatter in Fatigue Life

/fc Cause of scatter

0,8
• static strength of
0,7 fc=fcm
k0.95
k0.05 individual specimen is
0,6 unknown

0,5 • only estimate of

average strength is
0,4 known
min=0.2fc
0,3 • distribution of static
2 4 6 8 log N 10 strength causes high
scatter in fatigue life

April 6, 2017 26

13
Influence of Curing Condition

max/fc,fl
1.0

0.8
curing time [week] in:
0.6 water air
26 0
13 13
0.4 4 22
1 25
0 26
0.2 26 1 air dried
26 1 oven dried

0
0 2 4 6 log N 8

• Results of bending tests independent of curing conditions

April 6, 2017 27

Influence of Age

max/fc,fl
1.0

0.8

0.6
concrete
0.4 type age
PQ1 4 wks to 5 yrs
0.2 PQ2 13 wks to 2 yrs
LC1 13 wks to 2 yrs
0
0 2 4 6 log N 8

• Results of bending tests independent of age

April 6, 2017 28

14
Influence of Frequency (1)

max/fc Summation of damage by

1
frequency • number of load repetitions
6 Hz
0,8 0.6 Hz • time that certain stress level
0.06 Hz is exceeded
0,6
• note: rest periods have
positive effect
0,4
2 3 4 5 6 7
log N

April 6, 2017 29

Influence of Frequency (2)

T1 T2
1,00 1,00

0 0

-1,00 -1,00

T1 T2

• T per cycle increases with T  lower frequency more

damaging

•  max  1   log N   logT

fc
April 6, 2017 30

15
 Influence of Multi-Axial Loading

1
1,max/fc
1,6
 2= 2
1,4 14 MPa
7 MPa
1,2
0 MPa
1,0 Explanation
0,8 • Internal tensile stresses
min=0 suppressed by external
0,6 compressive stress
0 1 2 log N 3

Question: explain with three component model results

April 6, 2017 31

Influence of Stress Gradient (1)

P~ 
L ~ 1

Pmax
0,75

L 0,5

0,25 Pmin

0
 ~  ~ 0 0,25 0,5 0,75 1
n/N
Experiment
1. Measure deformations in eccentric test
2. Measure required stresses in deformation controlled concentric test
3. → Redistribution of stresses
April 6, 2017 32

16
Influence of Stress Gradient (2)

0.81
fc
n/N=0.8 Result
0.6
0,75 n/N=0.5 Pmax • redistribution of stresses due
n/N=0.1 to cyclic creep
0.4
0,5
• longer fatigue life in bending
Pmin than in uniaxial loading
0.2
0,25

0
0 0,25 0,5 0,75 1
x/x0

April 6, 2017 33

Deformation under Repeated Loading (1)

With number of
load repetitions:
• reduced stiffness
• reduced energy
dissipation
• increased
deformation
residual elastic
strain strain

April 6, 2017 34

17
Deformation under Repeated Loading (2)

• Ultimate strain independent from load level

April 6, 2017 35

Stiffness under Repeated Loading



Es With increasing number of

load cycles

Es,n/Es,0 • stiffness decreases
• residual deformation
increases
• total deformation
increases: cyclic creep

n/N
April 6, 2017 36

18
Strain under Repeated Loading (1)


u • Three stages
I II III
• I – initial crack formation
max • II – stable crack growth
• III – unstable crack growth
min • Second stage
• Strain rate is constant
0
0 N n • Cyclic creep may result in
• increased deflection
• loss of prestress

April 6, 2017 37

Strain under Repeated Loading (2)

max • Two tests

u
• N2>N1
test 1 • Strain rate in second stage is
test 2 constant
d • test 1: d/dn=C1
dn • test 2: d/dn=C2
0 • Fatigue life is function of
0 N1 N2 n strain rate

April 6, 2017 38

19
Strain under Repeated Loading (3)

ddn (log) • Two tests

• N2>N1
• Strain rate in second stage is
C1 constant
• test 1: d/dn=C1
C2
• test 2: d/dn=C2
• Strain rate  fatigue life
• Scatter is small
N1 N2 N (log) • different material behavior
(strength) reflected in C
April 6, 2017 39

Miner’s Rule (1)


• Loading
• tests with sinusoidal loading
• in practice random loading

time • Counting Method

 • number of times certain
counting method
stress condition appears
• e.g. stress interval when
k blocks average is passed
• note: two load parameters
ni n required

April 6, 2017 40

20
 Miner’s Rule (2)

 design curve
• Miner’s Rule
k
n

i N
1
i
1
i
i • linear contribution to
fatigue damage
• no order effect

ni Ni N

April 6, 2017 41

Fatigue Damage Accumulation

damage
max • Various measurements
• longitudinal strain
• acoustic emission
• ultrasonic pulse
velocity
0 • Palmgren-Miner
0 1
n/N hypothesis

April 6, 2017 42

21
Order Effect
• Experiments
• two stress blocks
n2/N2
2 • 1st series n2 failure
1st series n1

2nd series
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400

Miner’s Rule • 2nd series n1 failure

1 n2

• Miner’s sum
• 1st series M < 1
0 • 2nd series M > 1
0 1 n1/N1 2
•  clear order effect

April 6, 2017 43

Verification Miner’s Rule (1)

• Research by TNO
• Fatigue check for offshore structures
• Plain concrete in compression
• centric and eccentric
• frequency (0.06, 0.6 and 6 Hz)
• constant and variable amplitude
• random loading

April 6, 2017 44

22
Verification Miner’s Rule (2)

• Findings
• lowest scatter and best approximation of theoretical
Miner’s sum with TNO-counting method
• order effect in practice less pronounced
• scatter due to variation in material properties much
more than scatter found in Miner’s sums
• Conclusion
• Miner’s Rule (linear damage accumulation) acceptable

April 6, 2017 45

Goodman Diagram
max/fc max/fc
1.0 1.0

0.8 0.8
max/fc
0.6 0.6
N=
0.4 103 0.4 min/fc
105
0.2 107 0.2

0 0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
min/fc min/fc

• Lines for number of cycles at failure (fatigue life)

• Load condition defined by two parameters
April 6, 2017 46

23
Effect of Water
max/fc in air max/fc in water
1.0 1.0

0.8 0.8

0.6 0.6
N= N=
0.4 103 0.4
103
105 105
0.2 107 0.2
107
0 0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
min/fc min/fc

• Pumping effect of cracked concrete in water

April 6, 2017 47

Fracture Mechanics (1)

• Stress criterion 

 a KI
 y  f  f
2 r 2 r r 
K I   a 2a

• KI – stress intensity factor

• failure for KI = KI C

• only for small “plastic zone”

April 6, 2017 48

24
Fracture Mechanics (2)
crack length a
F
• Energy criterion A
crack
F0 length
• crack grows when energy a+da
released > fracture energy
C
dU dW 2 2a
 
da da E
0 B L

• crack grows for critical elastic dU  2a

energy release rate 0.5  G IC 
da E
K 2
• for plane stress condition GI  I
E
April 6, 2017 49

Metal Fatigue versus Concrete Fatigue

a da/dn

n K
da/dn
In notched metals
crack growth is a
function of stress
range according to
Paris relation
N

 ddn ddn
In concrete strain
max
rate is a function of
maximum stress
and stress range
n max N

• in metals elastic-plastic fracture mechanics (Dugdale model)

• in concrete non-linear fracture mechanics (Hillerborg model)

April 6, 2017 50

25
 Fracture Mechanics (3)

• Stress distribution near

crack not elastic  elastic distribution

• Fictitious crack model fct

Gf E
l ch 
ft 2
open crack fictitious crack
• LE approach not
applicable

April 6, 2017 51

Fictitious Crack Model (Hillerborg)

 • Localized crack zone

• strain depends on
elastic
measuring length
L
 • consider fictitious crack
cracked L width w and elastic behavior

outside cracked zone
elastic
• characteristic length
 w
Gf E
• l ch 
w ft 2

April 6, 2017 52

26
Fictitious Crack Model (Hillerborg)

• Localized crack zone

• strain depends on
measuring length
• consider fictitious crack
width w and elastic behavior
outside cracked zone
• characteristic length
Gf E
• l ch 
ft 2

April 6, 2017 53

Modeling Concrete Fatigue

• Mathematical description of stress-displacement during

repeated loading starting from static envelop curve
• Not yet developed into practical design rules
April 6, 2017 54

27
Fatigue in Tension

Offshore oriented research program (70s-80s)

Institute Type of loading Reference
TNO-IBBC compression CUR 112, CUR 163
TUD-Stevin uniaxial tension and
tension-compression CUR 116, CUR 137
RUG-Magnel flexural tension CUR 116

April 6, 2017 55

Uniaxial Tensile Test

• deformation controlled
• T=1 ºC  =0.01‰; u=0,15‰
• heat transfer from hydraulic actuator interrupted

April 6, 2017 56

28
Effect of Stress Gradient

max/fct
1,0

0,8
uniaxial
0,6
flexural
• In flexural test
0,4
redistribution due
0,2 min/0.2fc
to cyclic creep 
0,0 longer fatigue life
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
log N

April 6, 2017 57

Effect of Reversed Stress

max/fct 
1,0 1, 00

0,8
0

0,6 tension-
min/fct 0,4
0,3
- 1, 00

tension
0,4 0,2 t
0,0
min/fc -0,1 
0,2
1, 00

-0,2
-0,3
0,0 0

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 tension-
log N - 1, 00
t compression

April 6, 2017 58

29
Goodman Diagram for Concrete

tension-compression
is more damaging
than tension-tension
and compression-
compression
tensile failure

compression failure

April 6, 2017 59

Effect of Rest Periods

max/fc,fl
1.0
Rest period
none
1 min
0.8 5 min
10 min
20 min
27 min

0.6
3 4 5 6 log N 7

• Some effect observed, however not systematic due to scatter

April 6, 2017 60

30
 Strain Rate versus Fatigue Life

• Comparison with creep

• 6 Hz  1/6 sec/cycle
• Strain rate in fatigue tests
compare well with strain
rate in creep tests
• Small scatter in relation
between strain rate and
fatigue life
• Note: short duration of
observations (< 3 days)

April 6, 2017 61

Fatigue concrete under compression

Eurocode 2

Ecd,max,equ  0,43 1  Requ  1 • vgl. 6.76 (NEN-EN 1992-1-1+C2)

Ecd,min,equ σ cd,min,equ
Requ  Ecd,min,equ 
Ecd,max,equ fcd,fat
σ cd,max,equ  f 
fcd,fat  k1βcc  t0  fcd  1  ck 
Ecd,max,equ 
fcd,fat  250 
Remark: expression valid by 1 million cycles. NEN-EN 1992-2+C1
Factor 0,43 replaced by (log Ni)/14 (Note: 6/14 = 0,43)

 1 E 
 cd,m ax ,i 
 14 
 1 R 
N i  10  i 

06 April 2017 62

31
Fatigue concrete under compression
Eurocode 2
 f 
fcd,fat  k1βcc  t0  fcd  1  ck 
 250 

28t1
0,2(1 )
βcc  t0   e
t0

t 0  time,fatigue..load..is..applied
t1  1
βcc  56   1,06
βcc 112   1,11

06 April 2017 63

Partial materialfactors applied fatigue

NEN-EN 1992-1-1+C2/NB 2.4.2.4

• Concrete γm = 1,35

• Reinforcement γm = 1,15

• Prestressing steel γm = 1,10

06 April 2017 64

32
Fatigue in EC2
• In practice N > 106
cycles important
• 100 years: 2 x 108 cycles
by truck loading.
• 1,5% = 3 x 106
• Highest load

06 April 2017 65

Fatigue EC2 in compression 6.77 NEN-EN 1992-1-1+C2

check frequent loadcombination
(maximum stress) NEN-EN 1991-1+C1/NB Tabel NB4-4.4b

σ c,max σ c,min • 0.9 voor fck  50 MPa

 0.5  0.45
f cd,fat f cd,fat • 0.8 voor fck > 50 Mpa

example: •Also applied on struts loaded in

σ c,min compression (shear)
 0.5
f cd,fat
σ c,max
 0.5  0.45  0.5  0.725
f cd,fat

06 April 2017 66

33
 extra
Fatigue EC2 in compression 6.77 NEN-EN 1992-1-1+C2
check frequent loadcombination
(maximum stress) NEN-EN 1991-1+C1/NB Tabel NB4-4.4b

σ c,max σ c,min
0,725  0,5  0, 45
f cd,fat f cd,fat

06 April 2017 67

Example: calculate max. number of

cycles
R=0; C35/45
 max/fc partial material factor 1.5
1,0

0,8 max =17.5 MPa

0,6 Experimental:
R = 0.6
0,4 R = 0.4 17.5/35 = 0.5
R = 0.2 Log N = 7 thus 10.000.000
0,2 R = 0.0

0,0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
log(N)

April 6, 2017 68

34
Miner’s Rule

• Loading
• tests with sinusoidal loading
• in practice random loading

time • Counting Method

 • number of times certain
counting method
stress condition appears
• e.g. stress interval when
k blocks average is passed
• note: two load parameters
ni n required

06 April 2017
April 6, 2017 69

Damage to Concrete Wind Turbine (1)

• Concrete shaft
• prestressed concrete B65
• centrifugal compaction
• 30 m height, diameter top/bottom=1.0/1.5 m
• nominal wall thickness top/bottom=120/150 mm
• collapsed during operation
April 6, 2017 70

35
Damage to Concrete Wind Turbine (2)
max/fc
1,0

0,8

0,6
R = 0.6
0,4 R = 0.2
R = 0.4
0,2 R = 0.0

0,0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
• Probable cause log(N)
• wall thickness at bottom locally 90 mm
•  concrete stress 150/90=1,67 times design value
•  concrete fatigue in compression
• shaft should not have passed quality control
April 6, 2017 71

Reinforced Concrete

Compression

Tension

Anchorage and bond

• SLS – durability/stiffness • ULS - strength

• crack width • concrete
• deformation • steel
• anchorage
April 6, 2017 72

36
Fatigue in Shear (1)

• Failure types
• concrete
• diagonal cracking
• compression zone
• compression strut
• steel
• longitudinal bar
• stirrup
• Mostly not critical

April 6, 2017 73

Fatigue in Shear (2)

max/fc
1.0

0.8

0.6

0.4

bending failure plain concrete

0.2
shear failure of beam without
shear reinforcement
0
0 2 4 6 log N 8

• Beam tests
• diagonal shear failure ~ uniaxial failure
• flexural failure longer fatigue life due to redistribution
April 6, 2017 74

37
Fatigue in Bond (1)

max/u
1.0
min/u=0.1
0.9

0.8

0.7 B25 Ø8
B25 Ø14
0.6 B25 Ø28
B45 Ø14
0.5
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
log N

April 6, 2017 75

Fatigue in Bond (2)

plain bar ribbed bar

• Bond damage
• plain bar microscopically rough  conceive as ribbed bar
• concentrated tensile stresses at loaded side of rib
•  (micro) cracks  loss of bond strength

April 6, 2017 76

38
Fatigue in Bond (3)
slip [mm]

Pmax/Pu=

• Slip rate increases with load level

• Slip rate  fatigue life (log-log scale)

April 6, 2017 77

Fatigue in Bond (4)

0

• Crack width
• difference between
elongation of steel
transmission and concrete over
length transmission length
• due to fatigue
transmission length
 increases
steel
•  crack width
concrete
increases
x
fatigue 
areaincrease
steel
concrete
after
before crack ofwidth
elongation
 cracking crack width
elongation
cracking
April 6, 2017 78

39
Cracked Concrete in Sea Water (1)

• Experiment
• RC beams in sea water
• low and high frequency (months/days)
• RC beams in air
• unidirectional and reverse loading

April 6, 2017 79

Cracked Concrete in Sea Water (2)

 [MPa]
400

350
air unidirectional
sea water slow
400 sea water fast
air reverse
250 sea water reverse
min
unidirectional 46 [MPa]
reverse -9 [MPa]
200
5 6 7 log N 8

• Low frequency longer fatigue life (limited corrosion due to crack blocking)

April 6, 2017 80

40
Fatigue of Reinforcing Bars

April 6, 2017 81

Smith Diagram Prestressing Steel

N = 2·106
fp = 1000 to 2000 MPa

• Fatigue strength relatively lower than for Rebars

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41
Effect of Steel Quality

• Surface texture more important than steel quality

• Relative strength decreases with increasing quality
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Effect of Bar Diameter

• With increased
diameter lower
fatigue strength
• Caused by
production process
(rolling and heat
treatment)

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42
Effect of Rib Shape (1)

• When transverse
ribs meet
longitudinal ribs
fatigue endurance
is less
• Caused by higher
stress
concentrations

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Effect of Rib Shape (2)

Fatigue strength [MPa]

Cross-sectional shape of rib
R

• Variables
R>0 • radius at toe
• inclination of front face
• Without radius at toe
inclination of front face has
R=0
influence on fatigue strength
• Radius at toe has stronger
influence then inclination


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43
Effect of Bent

Lower fatigue endurance of

• bent bar
• damage to ribs
• localization of strains near
rib toe
• residual stresses
• embedded bar
• friction
• concentrated bond forces
• (strength distribution
positive effect)

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German Rebar Fatigue Test

• Bended bar embedded in concrete with preformed crack

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44
Effect of Concrete Embedment on
Fatigue Endurance of Rebar

phenomenon contribution to fatigue

• localized bending at crack +
• loads on ribs +
• friction between bar and concrete +
• strength distribution in bar -
• debonding ( redistribution of stresses) -
• Total effect +/-

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Effect of Welding (1)

• Electric welding and lap splicing reduce fatigue strength

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45
Effect of Welding (2)

not welded
tack welded

• Tack welding reduces fatigue strength

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Effect of Welding (3)

Juliana bridge, Curacao,

collapsed during
construction (1967)

Possible cause:
• Tack welding near high
strength anchorage
bars
• Watering of earth dam
with salt water
• → Low cycle fatigue
due to reduced strength

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46
Fatigue of Prestressing Steel

• Both plain and profiled surfaces

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Smith Diagram

N = 2·106
fp = 1000 to 2000 MPa

• Fatigue strength relatively much lower than for Rebars

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47
Effect of Surface Texture

• Fatigue strength with smooth surface much better than with

profiled surface
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Effect of Corrosion

• Fatigue strength is
strongly reduced as
corrosion depth
increases

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48
Fatigue Damage of
Prestressed Concrete Bridge (1)

Multiple span box girder bridge

• Restrained temperature cracks at bottom side near construction
joints
• In that region prestressing steel couplers
• Stress variations much higher than allowable
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Fatigue Damage of
Prestressed Concrete Bridge (2)
• Experiments into
fatigue strength of
coupling systems
• Stress concentrations
(clamping devices,
threaded bars) reduce
fatigue strength
• In codes demands on
anchorage and
coupling systems
lower than on
prestressing tendons

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49
Stress Variations in
Offshore Structures (1)

Note
• estimated stress
variation depend on
loading considered
• codes for offshore
structures have
different rules on
loading
• e.g. on importance
of wave height

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Stress Variations in
Offshore Structures (2)

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50
Fatigue Design Concrete Road (1)

Traffic load and self-weight

heat heat

compression

tension

• BNC method for plain concrete road slab

• takes into account temperature gradient
• stress blocks: distribution of traffic load per temperature
gradient group

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Fatigue Design Concrete Road (2)

Stress at bottom side of slab

due to traffic

due to temperature

Time

traffic load percentage traffic load per temperature gradient

group [kN] <0.02 [ºC/mm] 0.02-0.04 0.04-0.06 >0.06
0 – 10 a1,1 a1,2 a1,3 a1,4
10 – 20 a2,1 a2,2 a2,3 a2,4
. . . . .

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51
Fatigue Design Concrete Road (3)

average strength
Design strength
• BNC – Dutch
Road Design
• Uniaxial more
conservative
than flexural

flexural tension
uniaxial tension
general

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