Fatigue reliability of welded steel structures

The problem of assessing the damage to and remaining life of structures subjected to fatigue is explored, with particular emphasis on railroad bridges, highway bridges, and offshore structures. In railroad structures, the fatigue reliability estimates are typically calculated based on fatigue life predictions. The resulting predictions are used for budgeting purposes rather than for scheduling repairs. Examples are given of economic decision based on fatigue life calculations. Fatigue reliability estimates for highway bridges are also typically based on fatigue life calculations. Target reliability values have been suggested and are used in both the design of new bridges and the evaluation of existing bridges. Given the economics of offshore structures, it is feasible to develop more elaborate fracture mechanics models. These models have the advantage of explicitly allowing updated estimates of fatigue reliability based on inspection results. The economics of inspection of offshore structures also dictate...

Fatigue reliability reassessment applications: state-of-the-art paper

Probabilistic fatigue analysis under constant amplitude loading

Various types of structural systems are often subjected to the risk of fatigue-induced failures. If a structure does not have an adequate level of structural redundancy, local failures may initiate sequential failures and cause exceedingly large damage. For the risk-informed design and maintenance of such structural systems, it is thus essential to quantify the risk of fatigue-induced sequential failure. However, such risk analysis is often computationally intractable because one needs to explore innumerable failure sequences, each of which demands component and system reliability analyses in conjunction with structural analyses to account for various uncertainties and the effect of load redistributions. To overcome this computational challenge, many research efforts have been made to identify critical failure sequences with the highest likelihood and to quantify the overall risk by system reliability analysis based on the identified sequences. One of the most widely used approaches is the so-called “bran...

Risk Analysis of Fatigue-Induced Sequential Failures by Branch-and-Bound Method Employing System Reliability Bounds

Fatigue and fracture simulation of welded bridge details through a bi-linear crack growth law

For offshore structures the fatigue limit state is governing the structural dimensions of several members and joint connections. Safety against fatigue failure is achieved through a combination of design requirements and performance of in-service inspections with repair of detected fatigue cracks. A review of uncertainties involved in fatigue life predictions by fracture mechanics is presented with particular reference to steel structures. Sources of uncertainties considered are: environmental conditions, hydrodynamic loading, global structural analysis, local stress calculation at fatigue sensitive points, and fatigue crack growth modeling by fracture mechanics. A probabilistic model using the fracture mechanics in probabilistic form is presented. This model accounts for uncertainties in loading, initial and critical defect sizes, material parameters, and in the uncertainty related to computation of the stress intensity factor. Failure probabilities are computed by first-order reliability methods and sensitivity factors are determined. Model updating based on in-service inspection results is formulated. Uncertainties with respect to detecting a crack and to correctly sizing a crack are included. Experience on application of the analysis method is presented.

Finn Kirkemo

Papers

Applications of Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics to Offshore Structures