Évaluation du risque de problème de fatigue sur les ponts existants

Details

Supervisors

Gilles, Pierre ; Cap, Jean-François

Faculty

Ecole polytechnique de Louvain

Degree label

Master [120] : ingénieur civil des constructions, à finalité spécialisée

Abstract

enOver the coming years, many metal bridges in Wallonia will require increased monitoring due to the growing risk of structural fatigue, which could impact their safety and longevity. Indeed, some bridges were not designed to withstand the effects of fatigue, as the relevant design standards were only introduced at the end of the 20th century. With aging infrastructure and the increase in heavy truck traffic, the SPW (Public Service of Wallonia) will face a complex challenge in managing this phenomenon. The current condition of these bridges raises concerns about their fatigue resistance and remaining service life. This thesis focuses on assessing this risk, particularly for bridges built before the introduction of fatigue design standards. A fatigue verification methodology has been adopted to identify the most vulnerable areas, based on Eurocode standards. A specific study of an orthotropic deck bridge, the Haccourt Bridge, allowed this methodology to be applied to verify the fatigue of certain critical joints. The ultimate goal is to provide bridge inspectors with a "fatigue sheet," a precise and structured tool that will assist them during their periodic inspections by identifying sensitive areas to check.