Proceedings of the Ninth (1999) International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference

Brest, France, May 30-June 4, 1999

Copyright 1999 by The International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers
ISBN 1-880653-39-7 (Set); ISBN 1-880653-43-5 (Vol. IV); ISSN 1098-6189 (Set)

Fracture from Fatigue Cracks Installed at Weld Toes of Plate to Plate T-Joints
T. lwashita, K. Azuma and Y. Makino
Kumamoto University
Kumamoto, Japan
Y. Kurobane
Kumamoto Institute of Technology
Kumamoto, Japan

ABSTRACT

Test results for cracked welded T-joints are evaluated on the basis of
the failure assessment diagram (FAD). The FAD according to BSI
PD6493 (1991) was used. Several crude assumptions had to be
introduced to apply the FAD to welded T-joints. Test results were
applied to the FAD approach by using the FE analysis results and are
compared with assessment curves.

This paper presents effects of loading procedures on crack growth

and fracture behavior of welded T-joints. Each of welded T-joint
specimens was composed of a main plate and rib plate. These
Specimens were installed with fatigue cracks at the weld toes. A
horizontal load was applied to the rib plate, while tensile loads applied
to the ends of the main plate. Two different loading procedures were
adopted to test T-joints. The FE analysis was conducted to look into :the
state of stress and strain at the region near the weld toes. Further this
paper evaluates the strength of welded T-joints on the basis of the
Failure Assessment Diagram (FAD) using the test results.

TESTING OF WELDED T-JOINTS UNDER TWO LOADING

METHODS
Figure 1 shows two different loading methods. The loading
sequences are as follows:
Loading Method I (combined load)
A horizontal load 'H' is applied to the rib plate with tensile loads 'P'
applied to the ends of the main plate as shown in Figure 1(a).
Step l: A tensile load P0 was applied up to a pre determined percentage
of the axial tensile strength of the main plate. P0= c~ .B.t. cr u. The
cross section of the main plate reached plastic region under P0Step2: While P0 was kept at a constant load, the horizontal load H was
applied to the rib plate until complete failure.

KEY WORDS: Welded T-joints, Fatigue Crack, Ductile Tear, Brittle

Fracture, Loading Procedures, J-integral, Failure Assessment Diagram
INTRODUCTION
The 1994 Northridge and 1995 Kobe Earthquakes both took
structures engineering professionals by surprise in that many of the
welded connections of modem steel building frames sustained brittle
fractures. One of the most distinctive features of these earthquakes was
brittle fractures of welded connections at beam ends in multistory
moment resisting frames. Theses fractures concentrated on regions
around beam bottom flange groove welds.
The crack growth from weld toes and its change to fast failure are the
subject of study in a series of welded T-joints recently performed by the
authors (Kurobane et al. 1997). A welded T-joint configuration was
selected because it had the simplest possible form and yet reproduced
brittle fracture as observed during the earthquakes. Namely, each
specimen had a main plate, with a rib plate groove welded at.the center
of the main plate. Details of specimens are shown later. Specimens with
fatigue cracks along the weld toes are fractured by applying a horizontal
load to the rib plate, while tensile load was applied to the end of the
main plate or while both ends of the main plate were fixed to the bases
of the rig. A ductile crack extended stably in the through thickness
direction. Finally, these specimens failed by ductile tear or brittle
fracture.
This paper first describes the effects of two loading procedures on the
behavior of welded T-joints with fatigue cracks. Two loading methods
were considered to create differences in the state of stress and strain at
the region near the weld toe.

Loading Method 11 (bending load)

The loading scheme is shown in Figure l(b). The horizontal load H
was applied to the rib plate while both the ends of the main plate was
fixed to a strong reaction flame. The horizontal load H was applied until
complete failure.
Horizontal load versus deflection data were converted to H-sin0 data
to compare deformation angles because the spans 10 in Figure l(a),(b)
were different each other. The horizontal static load was applied to the
rib plate by a 100-ton hydraulic ram.

Specimens
Thirty specimens were tested under Method I loading although test
results of 4 specimens only are reported herein. Each specimen was
composed of the main plate and rib plate. The main plates, in grade
SS400 steel, were either 22mm or 26mm thick, 80mm wide and 880mm
long as shown in Figure 2(a). Five specimens were tested under Method
1I loading and these specimens also had the main and rib plates, of
which 2 were in grade SN490B steel and 3 were in grade SS400 steel
for the main plates. The main plates were 26mm thick, 80ram wide and
90