Under traffic loads, orthotropic steel bridge slabs suffer from an obvious fatigue problem. In particular, fatigue cracking of diaphragms seriously affects application and development of orthotropic bridge slabs. In the paper, based on cracking status quo of an orthotropic deck diaphragm of a large-span bridge, experimental tests were formulated to test stress distribution states of the diaphragm. The finite element software ABAQUS was used to establish a finite element model of the orthotropic deck diaphragm; numerical simulation was conducted on the basis of the experiments. Simulation results were compared with experimental results, so correctness of the finite element model was verified. Finally, Local Strain Approach (LSA) and Theory of Critical Distance (TCD) were used to conduct life assessment of the orthotropic deck diaphragms, and applicability of two methods was discussed. In this way, a fatigue life assessment method with high accuracy and good operability was provided for fatigue life assessment of orthotropic deck diaphragms.
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