Mitigating Fatigue in Cantilevered Overhead Sign Structures

Author(s):  
Mohamed S. Gallow ◽  
Fouad H. Fouad ◽  
Ian E. Hosch

Cantilevered overhead sign structures (COSSs) are widely used across highways in the United States. Several cases of excessive vibrations and failures caused by fatigue wind loads from natural and truck-induced wind gusts have been reported. Not enough research has included the effect of making structural design modifications on the fatigue performance of COSSs. Under fatigue wind-induced loads, the dynamic characteristics (frequency and damping) of COSSs are important parameters affecting their structural behavior. When frequencies of wind load and the structure match, resonance may occur, causing excessive vibrations, depending on the frequency value. If accompanied fatigue stresses exceed the fatigue endurance limit, failure occurs after a certain number of loading cycles. The objective of this study was to investigate stiffness and mass distribution of COSSs to control the structural frequency, thus mitigating fatigue caused by wind-induced gusts. For this purpose, modifications in the members' shape, arrangement, size, and layout of structure were examined. Three layouts were compared: four-chord, two-chord, and monotube COSSs. These layouts were designed according to the 2013 AASHTO Standard Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaires, and Traffic Signals and modeled with SAP2000. Wind pressure power spectral density and time history loading functions were applied to these structures to simulate natural and truck-induced wind gusts, respectively. Results showed that the vertical mono-tube COSS design with curved end post had the least mass, but fatigue stresses were comparable with the four-chord COSS. The two-chord COSS design had the largest mass and exhibited the highest fatigue stresses.

Author(s):  
Fouad H. Fouad ◽  
Elizabeth Calvert

The AASHTO 2001 Standard Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaires and Traffic Signals include revised wind load provisions and new criteria for fatigue design. These provisions and criteria differ considerably from those in previous editions of the specifications, and their impact on the design of cantilevered overhead sign supports has not been fully studied. This study assesses the effect of these provisions and criteria on the design of cantilevered overhead sign support structures with the horizontal support composed of a four-chord truss. Wind and fatigue load design calculations of typical structures, located at sites across the United States, were performed with the design provisions of the 2001 supports specifications and compared with design in accordance with the previous edition of the specifications. The induced forces in the primary members of the cantilevered sign support structure were calculated, and corresponding member sizes and weights were estimated. The results of the study demonstrated the effect of the wind and fatigue load provisions on the design of cantilevered overhead sign support structures.


Author(s):  
Fouad H. Fouad ◽  
Elizabeth Calvert

The AASHTO Standard Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaires and Traffic Signals (Supports Specifications) has been revised in its entirety through a major research project conducted under the auspices of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP Project 17-10). The new document was approved in 1999 by all state departments of transportation for adoption by AASHTO and was published in 2001. A major part of the revisions included new provisions and criteria for wind loads. These provisions differ considerably from those in previous editions of the specifications. A review of the changes in the wind load provisions of the 2001 Supports Specifications is presented. These changes, which are primarily due to the adoption of a new wind speed map based on a 3-s gust, could result in a significant increase in the magnitude of wind pressure in hurricane areas and a decrease in inland areas depending on location and structure type.


Alloy Digest ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 46 (9) ◽  

Abstract Sandvik Ti-3Al-2.5V Grade 9 titanium-aluminum alloy offers excellent corrosion resistance, especially to chloride media, and has a high strength-to-weight ratio, which is especially suitable for use in aerospace applications. Tubing can be produced having a CSR (contractile strain ratio) that enhances the fatigue endurance limit. This datasheet provides information on composition, physical properties, elasticity, tensile properties, and bend strength as well as fatigue. It also includes information on corrosion resistance as well as forming, machining, and joining. Filing Code: TI-109. Producer or source: Sandvik.


2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1626-1651
Author(s):  
John E Lens M.EERI ◽  
Mandar M Dewoolkar ◽  
Eric M Hernandez M.EERI

This article describes the approach, methods, and findings of a quantitative analysis of the seismic vulnerability in low-to-moderate seismic hazard regions of the Central and Eastern United States for system-wide assessment of typical multiple span bridges built in the 1950s through the 1960s. There is no national database on the status of seismic vulnerability of bridges, and thus no means to estimate the system-wide damage and retrofit costs for bridges. The study involved 380 nonlinear analyses using actual time-history records matched to four representative low-to-medium hazard target spectra corresponding with peak ground accelerations from approximately 0.06 to 0.3 g. Ground motions were obtained from soft and stiff site seismic classification locations and applied to models of four typical multiple-girder with concrete bent bridges. Multiple-girder bridges are the largest single category, comprising 55% of all multiple span bridges in the United States. Aging and deterioration effects were accounted for using reduced cross-sections representing fully spalled conditions and compared with pristine condition results. The research results indicate that there is an overall low likelihood of significant seismic damage to these typical bridges in such regions, with the caveat that certain bridge features such as more extensive deterioration, large skews, and varied bent heights require bridge-specific analysis. The analysis also excludes potential damage resulting from liquefaction, flow-spreading, or abutment slumping due to weak foundation or abutment soils.


2014 ◽  
Vol 596 ◽  
pp. 610-615
Author(s):  
Yu Chen ◽  
Qiang Li Luan ◽  
Zhang Wei Chen ◽  
Hui Nong He

Hydraulic shaker, equipment of simulating laboratory vibration environment, can accurately replicate the given power spectral density (PSD) and time history with an appropriate control algorithm. By studying method Hv estimator of frequency response function (FRF) estimation, a FRF identification strategy based on the Hv estimator is designed to increase the convergence rapidity and improve the system response function specialty. The system amplitude-frequency characteristics in some frequency points or frequency bands have large fluctuation. To solve this issue, a step-varying and frequency-sectioning iterative correction control algorithm is proposed for the control of 2-axial exciter PSD replication tests and the results show that the algorithm has a good effect on the control of hydraulic shaker, and can achieve reliable and high-precision PSD replication.


2011 ◽  
Vol 197-198 ◽  
pp. 1658-1661
Author(s):  
Ying Xiong ◽  
Han Ying Zheng

Fatigue tests are carried out for 16MnR welded joint under constant strain control. Test results reveal that 16MnR weld metal exhibits characteristic of cyclic softening and non-masing obviously. The strain–life curve can be best described by the three-parameter equation. It shows the fatigue endurance limit in the heat-affecting zone (HAZ) of welded joint is lower than that in the weld metal.


Author(s):  
Mayzan M. Isied ◽  
Mena I. Souliman ◽  
Waleed A. Zeiada ◽  
Nitish R. Bastola

Asphalt concrete healing is one of the important concepts related to flexible pavement structures. Fatigue endurance limit (FEL) is defined as the strain limit under which no damage will be accumulated in the pavement and is directly related to asphalt healing. Pavement section designed to handle a strain value equivalent to the endurance limit (EL) strain will be considered as a perpetual pavement. All four-point bending beam fatigue testing results from the NCHRP 944-A project were extracted and utilized in the development of artificial neural network (ANN) EL strain predictive model based on mixture volumetric properties and loading conditions. ANN model architecture, as well as the prediction process of the EL strain utilizing the generated model, were presented and explained. Furthermore, a stand-alone equation that predicts the EL strain value was extracted from the developed ANN model utilizing the eclectic approach. Moreover, the EL strain value was predicted utilizing the new equation and compared with the EL strain value predicted by other prediction models available in literature. A total of 705 beam fatigue lab test data points were utilized in model training and evaluation at ratios of 70%, 15%, and 15% for training, testing, and validation, respectively. The developed model is capable of predicting the EL strain value as a function of binder grade, temperature, air void content, asphalt content, SR, failure cycles number, and rest period. The reliability of the developed stand-alone equation and the ANN model was presented by reasonable coefficient of determination (R2) value and significance value (F).


The works in this study is to investigate and understand the nature of Acacia mangium axial fatigue strengths under repeated stress. Acacia mangium trees were cut to produce oven-dried Small Clear Specimens that were then tested until fracture in parallel to the grain direction. This was carried out in order to discover its Ultimate Tensile Strength, which was later identified as 143.87 MPa, in parallel to the grain direction (0° grain angle). In the next phase, specimens were tested for fatigue strengths in repeated-tensile sinusoidal waveform loading at 100 Hz frequency. The stress levels for this test were at the ratios of 80, 60, 40, 30, 20 and 10% of the Ultimate Tensile Strength (0° grain angle) for the construction of Life (N) - Stress (S) plots and empirical correlation. It was observed that the Acacia Mangium N-S (Wöhler) plots have an exponential correlation with the N – intercept of vertical axis at five (5) million cycles, while the intercept of horizontal, S – axis, was at 143.87 MPa. The study also observed that Acacia mangium achieves 106 life cycles at 10% stress level. For this reason, it is concluded that the material has a fatigue endurance limit at 10% of the Ultimate Tensile Strength for 0° grain angle.


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