Abstract
This paper presents a numerical study on the fatigue behaviour of edge cracked steel plates strengthened with carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates based on the boundary element method. The models were first validated by a comparison with experimental data in the literature, followed by a further investigation into the effects of initial damage degree, bond configuration and crack type on the fatigue behaviour of retrofitted specimens. Results indicated that CFRP overlays could effectively slow down crack growth and extend fatigue life of edge cracked steel plates, regardless of the initial damage levels. It seems better to adopt an early repair considering the total fatigue life. Double-sided repair showed significant superiority over single-sided repair when equivalent composite materials were used. For the repair configuration presented herein, the strengthening was more efficient for edge cracked steel plates than centre cracked steel plates.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 147-157 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Thin-Walled Structures |
| Volume | 100 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Mar 2016 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Boundary element method
- Carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP)
- Crack propagation
- Fatigue
- Steel plate
- Stress intensity factor
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Civil and Structural Engineering
- Building and Construction
- Mechanical Engineering