Effects of stud connection failure on displacement responses of partially damaged bridges

Abstract

Stud connections in composite bridges are traditionally modeled with rigid links or surface constraints, without considering potential failures. In this study, the effects of stud connection failure were investigated to determine if the failure behaviors were required for a partially damaged bridge or not. Detailed finite-element (FE) bridge models, including stud connection failure behaviors and material inelasticity, were developed to analyze the displacement responses of the bridge. The accuracy of the FE bridge models was verified using full-scale bridge fracture test results obtained from other studies. The analysis results show that the stud connection failure can significantly affect the bridge displacement responses even if a bridge girder suffers partial damage. © 2022 Institution of Structural Engineers