Stress concentration analysis of an orthotropic sandwich bridge deck under wheel loading

The stress concentration law of a steel plate-polyurethane sandwich bridge deck under wheel loading is studied via experiment and numerical calculations. The results show that the stress concentration of sandwich plates without stiffening ribs is < 1/3 that of the corresponding general single-layer steel plate (whose thickness is the same as the total thickness of the two steel faceplates in the sandwich plate) under a local uniform force. The cracks at the partial penetration fillet welded connection between the bridge deck and stiffening rib are in the most unfavorable situation when the wheel acts on the bridge deck just above the longitudinal stiffener. The maximum stress value of the stiffening rib weld of orthotropic sandwich bridge decks with a double-spaced longitudinal stiffener is ~ 1/3 that of general orthotropic steel bridge decks.