Fatigue Behaviour of Composite Metal Deck Slabs

Abstract

An experimental research program based on a proposed approach to fatigue testing that does not require a traditional stress versus cycles relationship was conducted to evaluate the behavior of composite metal deck slabs subjected to transverse cyclic loads. The magnitude of the maximum dynamic test load, obtained from progressively increasing cyclic load tests, was established as a percentage of the allowable static design load, evaluated from a linear regression study of companion statically loaded specimens. Periodically during the cyclic loading, static load tests revealed an increase in permanent deflections as the numbers of load cycles increased. At the completion of the fatigue testing, a static strength test showed that a shear‐bond failure occurred for the cyclically loaded specimens. This mode of failure was the same as for the companion statically loaded specimens. In general, the magnitiude of the applied load causing failure was reduced by the cyclic loading. A predicted, shear‐bond, fatigue strength expression applicable to the particular composite metal deck involved is presented.