Tensile–Bending–Corrosion Fatigue Analysis of the Parallel Steel Wire Cable in Suspension Bridges

Abstract

Corrosion fatigue is a critical concern in the performance and safety of parallel steel wire cables used in various engineering structures, particularly in bridge applications. This study investigated the complex interaction between tensile, bending, and corrosion effects on parallel steel wire cables and proposed a novel approach to analyze their corrosion fatigue behavior. First, to comprehend the varying corrosion levels and stress distributions along the cables, we introduced the concept of bending characteristic length. Leveraging the spatial fiber bundle model, we accurately simulated the corrosion extent and stress states at different positions within the parallel wire ropes. Furthermore, we conducted comprehensive experimental tests to examine wire breakage behavior in parallel steel wire cables, enabling a thorough validation of our theoretical predictions. The experimental results revealed intriguing deviations between the observed wire breakage sequence and the theoretically predicted order attributed to the influence of eccentric loads and localized variations in wire corrosion. The findings unveiled that parallel steel wire cables in practical bridge structures experience multiaxial corrosion fatigue failure, exhibiting significant variations in corrosion levels and stress distribution along their length. The proposed spatial fiber bundle model exhibited commendable accuracy in predicting wire breakage, with calculated fatigue life closely aligning with experimental observations.