Fatigue Crack Growth from the Rivet Hole in a Rivetted Built-up Section Subjected to Variable Amplitude Loading

ABSTRACT Fatigue crack growth under variable amplitude loading has been analysed for a crack emanating from a rivet hole in a web plate of a rivetted cross girder of a railway bridge, 80 years old. The analysis includes retardation effects within the spectrum loading. These effects have been experimentally studied on single edge notch specimen taken from a bridge member and the results are compared with theoretical models to select the appropriate retardation model.