Research on reasonable value of target reliability index for steel main girder of cable-stayed bridge considering durability

Abstract

This article studies the relationship between the target reliability index and the design life of the main girder of a long-span cable-stayed bridge to provide a theoretical basis for the design of steel girders for such an application. The changes of the bending section modulus under atmospheric corrosion and the residual ultimate stress of the section of a steel box girder under alternating loads are discussed. A resistance attenuation function for a steel girder of a cable-stayed bridge to predict the resistance change of a steel box girder over the service period is proposed, and the change characteristics of the time-varying reliability index of a steel box girder of a cable-stayed bridge are studied. By analysing the relationship between the time-varying reliability index and the evaluating benchmark value of the reliability index, the time point of maintenance and reinforcement is predicted. Based on the change over time of the difference between the time-varying reliability index and the evaluating benchmark value of the reliability index, the relation function between the target reliability index and the service lifetime of a bridge considering resistance attenuation are provided.