FATIGUE LIFE ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING BRIDGE DECKS BASED ON VISUAL INSPECTION DATA AND NUMERICAL SIMULATION

摘要

This paper presents a concept of the life prediction system for existing bridge decks based on a numerical simulation. First, crack information obtained in site investigation is converted to equivalent strains upon finite element model in order to reproduce a damage state of existing bridge deck. Then, the proposed system starts to simulate a residual life of existing bridge deck only based on the equivalent strains despite of the cause of cracks. The methodology was examined by sample data prepared for this study. As a result, it is suggested that the mid-span deflections at the beginning of simulation tend to be underestimated and they also tend to be overestimated when they get close to the failure. The numbers of load passage at failure might be reasonably predicted by this method from the practical view point.