*Steel bridge on Hanshin Expressway (at bracket end) [#h2f2c3af] **1.Field of application [#x17e0a99] >Steel bridge on Hanshin Expressway ,Japan.&br; **2.Circumstances of Repair [#c9f6dd81] >Fatigue crack was found in the interior vertical stiffener end at the bracket connection which supported the sign pole.&br; **3.Types of structure [#rb5b64ff] >The bridge is simple box girder bridge. The cross section is shown in [[figure 1>#fig1]]. The brackets which supported the sign poles were bolt connected to the box girder webs ([[Fig.2>#fig2]],[[3>#fig3]]). &br; &br; &br; CENTER:&aname(fig1);&attachref(Hanko116.jpg);&br; &br; CENTER:Fig.1 Cross section.&br; &br; &br; CENTER:&aname(fig2);&attachref(Hanko117.jpg);&br; &br; CENTER:Fig.2 Cantilever bracket which supports a sign pole.&br; &br; &br; CENTER:&aname(fig3);&attachref(Hanko118.jpg);&br; &br; CENTER:Fig.3 Cantilever bracket which are connected to the box girder web.&br; &br; &br; **4.Details of loading [#sca7fb6b] >Fluctuating loads due to highway live load. **5.Description of damage [#x537c5ef] >Fatigue crack was found in the interior vertical stiffener end and at the bracket connection with the box girder web ([[Fig.4>#fig4]]). The crack originated from the interior vertical stiffener end and was branched in three directions ([[Fig.5>#fig5]],[[6>#fig6]]). The interior vertical stiffeners were not fillet weld connected to the box girder tension flanges.&br; &br; &br; >Cause of fatigue cracks was thought as follows: -Vibration due to the vehicle pass and wind. &br; &br; CENTER:&aname(fig4);&attachref(Hanko119.jpg);&br; &br; CENTER:Fig.4 Crack location.&br; &br; &br; CENTER:&aname(fig5);&attachref(Hanko120.jpg);&br; &br; CENTER:Fig.5 Crack of the vertical stiffener end.&br; &br; &br; CENTER:&aname(fig6);&attachref(Hanko121.jpg);&br; &br; CENTER:Fig.6 Girder exterior view of the crack.&br; &br; &br; **6.Repair method applied [#p3f3f1f4] >Repair was performed as follows. >The box girder web of parts subjected to cracking was removed ([[Fig.7>#fig7]]) and the plates were bolt connected from both sides of the box girder web ([[Fig.8>#fig8]],[[9>#fig9]]). The interior of the box girder was reinforced as shown in [[figure 10>#fig10]]. CENTER:&aname(fig4);&attachref(Gerber27.jpg);&br; &br; CENTER:Fig.4 Emergency repair.&br; &br; CENTER:&aname(fig7);&attachref(Hanko122.jpg);&br; &br; CENTER:&aname(fig5);&attachref(Gerber28.jpg);&br; CENTER:Fig.7 Removal of the box girder web.&br; &br; &br; CENTER:Fig.5 Range of the full penetration weld.&br; CENTER:&aname(fig8);&attachref(Hanko123.jpg);&br; &br; &br; CENTER:&aname(fig6);&attachref(Gerber29.jpg);&br; CENTER:Fig.8 Strengthening of the bracket location.&br; &br; &br; CENTER:Fig.6 Repair weld (Full penetration weld.)&br; CENTER:&aname(fig9);&attachref(Hanko124.jpg);&br; &br; &br; CENTER:&aname(fig7);&attachref(Gerber30.jpg);&br; CENTER:Fig.9 Bolt splice.&br; &br; &br; CENTER:Fig.7 Permanent repair.&br; CENTER:&aname(fig10);&attachref(Hanko125.jpg);&br; &br; &br; CENTER:Fig.10 Interior view of the internal strengthening.&br; &br; &br;