Study on detailed stresses of crossbeam web cutout for steel orthotropic deck

Finite element analyses were carried out to probe into the stress characteristics of crossbeam web cutout for steel orthotropic deck. Considering the load distribution of wearing surface, stress characteristics were researched for the central crossbeam web cutout in the case of fixed wheel loads with totally symmetrical distribution. The results show that the maximum principal stress distributes primarily in region near the start point of crossbeam cutout. Keeping the longitudinal symmetric of wheel loads with respect to the central crossbeam, after altering loads transverse location, influence was investigated on the in-plane stresses of cutout. It is pointed out that stress distributes in the start point of crossbeam cutout is sensitive for the non-fixing transverse locations of wheel loads. In addition, keeping the transverse symmetric of wheel loads with respect to the central longitudinal rib, the influence on the out-plane stresses of cutout was evaluated by altering the longitudinal location of wheel load. A fact is disclosed that different longitudinal location of wheel loads is one of the important factors to determine the stress distributes in the start point of crossbeam cutout. What´s more, stress of cutout was further discussed without load distribution of wearing surface. The transverse stress of the start point of crossbeam cutout is impacted significantly of the area distributed over by the wheel loads. Influencing factors of the stress distributes in the start point of crossbeam cutout are so multiple and complex that this part of steel orthotropic deck should be the emphatic work in the design and fabrication.