ABSTRACT
This paper developed a fatigue life prediction model of heavy haul railway PC beams based on S-N curve and a fatigue accumulative damage model, and the fatigue failure mode of PC beams in heavy haul railway is analyzed. Taking an existing heavy haul railway as an example, the fatigue load model and equivalent traffic quantity of heavy haul railway are established. Through the influence line method and fatigue stress calculation, the fatigue stress spectrum of non-prestressed reinforcing bars in 32 m T-shaped ordinary height and ultra-low height PC beams are obtained. Fatigue damage and remaining service life of the beams are evaluated, using the proposed approach in this passage. Moreover, the effects of freight volume and trains axle load on fatigue life of heavy haul railway bridges are analyzed. The results show that ordinary height beam has a batter fatigue performance than ultra-low height beam. Freight volume and trains axle load have a significant influence on fatigue life of 32 m T-shaped ordinary height and ultra-low height PC beams. The fatigue life of heavy haul railway bridges will be reduced if increasing the freight volume or raising the axle load of heavy haul trains.
