A Numerical framework for fatigue lifetime prediction of complex welded structures

Kris Hectors; Wim De Waele; Mia Loccufier; Hans  De Backer

doi:10.3221/IGF-ESIS.51.42

A Numerical framework for fatigue lifetime prediction of complex welded structures

Authors

Kris Hectors SIM vzw, Tech Lane Ghent Science Park / Campus A 48, BE-9052, Zwijnaarde, Belgium Ghent University, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Department of EEMeCS, Soete Laboratory, Technologiepark 46, BE-9052, Zwijnaarde, Belgium https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3161-5134
Wim De Waele Ghent University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7196-3328
Mia Loccufier Ghent University
Hans De Backer Ghent University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3605-150X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3221/IGF-ESIS.51.42

Keywords:

Structural health monitoring, Fatigue, Hot spot stress, Finite element analysis, Endurance approach, Crane girder

Abstract

Ageing infrastructure is of major concern for different industrial sectors across Europe. Fatigue cracking is one of the most important damage mechanisms that affect structural health of welded steel structures. Fatigue assessment of welded details in large, complex structures is a difficult and time consuming task. In this paper a numerical framework for fatigue assessment of welded details is presented. In view of industrial applications, automated hot spot stress algorithms for plate and tubular joints were developed and integrated in the framework. The framework provides practicing engineers with an effective tool for fatigue assessment of different components in conformity with leading design codes. Furthermore, apart from Miner’s rule the framework allows easy implementation of different non-linear damage accumulation models in order to account for load interaction and load sequence effects.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Downloads

Visual Abstract

Published

14-12-2019

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 51 (2020): January 2020

Section

SI: 1st Benelux Network Meeting and Workshop on Damage and Fracture Mechanics

License

Copyright
Authors are allowed to retain both the copyright and the publishing rights of their articles without restrictions.

Open Access Statement

Frattura ed Integrità Strutturale (Fracture and Structural Integrity, F&SI) is an open-access journal which means that all content is freely available without charge to the user or his/her institution. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author. This is in accordance with the DOAI definition of open access.

F&SI operates under the Creative Commons Licence Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY 4.0). This allows to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format, to remix, transform and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially, but giving appropriate credit and providing a link to the license and indicating if changes were made.

How to Cite

A Numerical framework for fatigue lifetime prediction of complex welded structures. (2019). Frattura Ed Integrità Strutturale, 14(51), 552-566. https://doi.org/10.3221/IGF-ESIS.51.42