FATIGUE ASSESSMENT OF SLENDER STEEL WEB PLATES SUBJECTED TO REPEATED SHEAR BUCKLING

Experimental and theoretical studies of the fatigue of slender steel w eb plates, induced by repeated shear buckling, are described. The vari ous aspects of the problem considered include fatigue crack initiation and propagation, the residual shear strength of fatigue-cracked web p anels, and S-N relationships based an geometric stress ranges at welde d web boundaries. Analytical predictions of geometric fatigue stresses are used in conjunction with Eurocode 3 fatigue strength curves, to a nalyse the available test data and develop a simple fatigue assessment procedure.