Fatigue on metallic railway bridges: Methodology of analysis and application to Alcácer do Sal Bridge

ABSTRACT: The characteristics of structural materials deteriorate as a result of the application of repeated loads, such as railway traffic loads. The application of these loads originates lower stresses than the failure stress of the materials, which are experimented repeatedly throughout the design life of the structure, thus potentially resulting on the occurrence and propagation of cracks in certain elements or joints. This phenomenon is defined as fatigue.