Compressive Behavior of Orthotropic Steel Deck with Extra Attached Stiffeners

Abstract

The steel stiffened segment in a steel–concrete connection joint is critical to the load capability of the cable-stayed bridge with hybrid girders. The research focused on the improvement of steel stiffened segments by investigating their failure reasons, mechanical behavior, and transmission efficiency. In order to achieve that, both the experiments and finite-element (FE) analysis of three classical types of stiffened segments subjected to axial compression were conducted, and FE results were consistent with test data. Effects of element sizes, geometric imperfections, and residual stresses were considered in FE models, and proper values for the imperfections were suggested. With refined models, transmission efficiency and stress concentration of three types of steel stiffened segments have been investigated. Segments with a U-shaped stiffener inserted T-stiffener and U-shaped stiffener circumscribed double T-stiffener are suggested for better force transmission and less local stress concentration. Furthermore, parameter studies on two suggested types above are carried out. Results show that the vertical plate could be thinning when the condition of stability is satisfied. Proper thickness of the vertical plate in a single T-stiffener and proper spacing between vertical plates in a double T-stiffener are given.