*Steel bridge on Hanshin Expressway (at floor-beam coped end) [#kc174865] **1.Field of application [#na470cb6] >Steel bridge on Kobe-Nishinomiya line of Hanshin Expressway, Japan.&br; **2.Circumstances of Repair [#u1acf3f3] >Fatigue crack was found in the end floorbeam coped web in May 1988. **3.Types of structure [#n3e6960e] >The bridge is I-section girder bridge with three continuous spans ([[Fig.1>#fig1]]). The floorbeams were bolt connected to the connection stiffeners.&br; &br; &br; CENTER:&aname(fig1);&attachref(Hanko920.jpg);&br; &br; CENTER:Fig.1 I-section girder bridge.&br; &br; &br; **4.Details of loading [#hf692e63] >Fluctuating loads due to highway live load. **5.Description of damage [#p959672f] >Fatigue crack occurred in the coped web of the end floorbeam ([[Fig.2>#fig1]],[[3>#fig3]],[[4>#fig4]]). At the detection of the crack, the crack length reached to 530mm at the G5 location. The support of the G5 girder had subsided 7mm.&br; &br; &br; >Cause of fatigue cracks was as follows: -Vibration of the girders due to support subsidence. &br; &br; CENTER:&aname(fig2);&attachref(Hanko921.jpg);&br; &br; CENTER:Fig.2 Crack location.&br; &br; &br; CENTER:&aname(fig3);&attachref(Hanko922.jpg);&br; &br; CENTER:Fig.3 Crack of the floorbeam coped end.&br; &br; &br; CENTER:&aname(fig4);&attachref(Hanko923.jpg);&br; &br; CENTER:Fig.4 Zooming up of crack.&br; &br; &br; **6.Repair method applied [#n907e46d] >The original brackets were replaced with the new brackets of which the top flanges were full penetration groove weld connected with the webs ([[Fig.6>#fig6]]). The new brackets had the bed plates, which were of 19mm thickness, on the flanges themselves ([[Fig.7>#fig7]]). Also for the uncracked brackets, similar bed plates were inserted between the base plates of the sign poles and the bracket top flange plates. >Firstly, repair of parts subjected to cracking was performed by stop hole, gouging and re-welding. >Secondary, the cracked web was bolt spliced ([[Fig.5>#fig5]],[[6>#fig6]]). >Beside, the original base mortar under the shoe of the G5 girder were replaced by the new non-shrink mortar after re-installing the shoe.&br; &br; &br; CENTER:&aname(fig5);&attachref(Hanko924.jpg);&br; &br; CENTER:&aname(fig6);&attachref(Hanko818.jpg);&br; CENTER:Fig.5 Repair method.&br; &br; CENTER:Fig.6 Detail of the bracket flange-web connection.&br; &br; CENTER:&aname(fig6);&attachref(Hanko925.jpg);&br; &br; CENTER:&aname(fig7);&attachref(Hanko819.jpg);&br; CENTER:Fig.6 Complete view.&br; &br; CENTER:Fig.7 Completion view.&br; &br; &br;