Analytical Study on Shear Capacity of Steel I-Girders with Local Corrosion nearby Supports

Abstract

Corrosion damage is developed in web plates of main I-girder ends nearby supports in aging steel bridges. When main girder end is corroded, shear capacity might deteriorate. In this paper, remaining shear capacity of I-girders with different corrosion shapes nearby supports was analyzed by elasto-plastic finite element analyses, where four kinds of corrosion shapes and three rates of thickness reduction in the area of local corrosion were considered. Corrosion shapes were decided according to actual bridge inspection data. The results demonstrated that extent of shear capacity depends on both corrosion shapes and rates of thickness reduction. Local corrosions cause the underdeveloped tension field action and the shifted collapse model, consequently, shear capacity deteriorated. The critical parts of web plates of I-girder ends were discussed, along with the effects of local corrosion on post-buckling strength of end panels and local yield strength of bearings.