CRITERIA FOR THE FATIGUE ASSESSMENT OF HOLLOW STRUCTURAL SECTION CONNECTIONS

A discussion of fatigue design criteria is presented for connections b etween hollow structural sections, based on knowledge gained from an e xtensive study on the fatigue behaviour of 90 degrees T- and X-connect ions made of square hollow sections. After a general discussion of the various fatigue assessment methods available, the paper focuses on co nsiderations behind the definition of the hot spot stress. On this bas is, the current fatigue design guidelines are discussed. Based on know ledge gained from experiments and having identified the important fati gue design criteria, a hot spot definition is established, together. w ith the outline of a proposal for future fatigue design guidelines of hollow section connections.