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    علي اسامة عدلي ابراهيم
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    Case 5 Failure of A Steel Box-Girder Bridge

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    علي اسامة عدلي ابراهيم

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    rF Miscottaneous / 369 | Brittle Fracture of the Tension Flange of a Stee! Box-Girder Bridge Can E. Martone, Consuting Waidng Enger. Far Oaks, Calin Acatnstryphic Brite frcture secured | srt rate HY pene erate ation twain ® asin a tae cing he Crt and oppronimorel tO mon gre refcee ood post xen oon ot ila Grade aera aes np ton et hersesepe ne rnerents tampon vse Pelee aa eters rena het an tt reer KeyWords Nicke-hvumiummolbdemum stele Boe ear ite frnetire Girder brs Sesrgations rer bnters Alloys ickelchromium-molybdenum see!—AS17 grade H “Background ‘A catastrophic brittle fracture occurred ina ‘welded steel trapezoidal cross-section box girder while the concrete deck of a large bridge was being poured Fig. 1), Thestructure consisted oftwo paral: Tel bridges, each approximately 1220 m (4000 ft long with 22 spans, The main river spans were 113, m (370 f¥), continuous over four spans. The failure occurred dleross the full width of a 57 mm (2M in.) thick, 760 mm (30 in.) wide flange and arrested 100 ‘mm (4 in,) down the slant web (Fig. 2) Pertinent ‘The steel was ASTM A517 grade H [modified— specifications 67 mm, (2Y% in.), thick), with a minimum yield strength of 690 MPa (100 ksi), The steel (about 590 single producer. WY Tries secTON oF STEEL wox cncens fied ASTM A517 grade F stee] in the tension flanges of the trapezoidal box girders. When the contract sas let the steel producer convinced all parties that [ASI7 grade H would be a satisfactory substitute, even though grade H has a leaner chemistry and is limited by ASTM toa thickness of 50 mm(2 in.) The flanges in the bridge were 57 mm (2¥4 in.) thick. Eetormance When this bridge was designed and the steel other parts purchased, toughness was assumed to be inherent insame or in A517 steel and was not a specification Nain rrService ment for bridge applications. A survey conducted by the Federal Highway Administration in 1974 re ‘Yealed that at least 76 bridges in the U.S. Interstate System contained AB1V517 steel, and only 8 of the 76 bridges had a toughness requirement for pro- eurement of the steel ‘Thebridge under study was one of those built us- ing steel without a toughness requirement. Sub- sequent failure analysis demonstrated conclusively that the measurement of toughness is not only an eseential feature of quality control in manufactur- {ng steel but also a quantitative indicator of resis tance to fracture in service. Fig. Typical secton of re tales aaaga Vi et Examinatee The brittle fracture occurred catastrophically "The contract plane did ma or getten crs the full width of a 67 mmm (2% in), 760 mm this flange plate and “lal not show Fal (30 in,) wide flange after the formation of a welding mm (24 in.) wide top plate ae ig Ma of a doul weld between in.) thick, 600 Ph PAValeal —oterackand approximately 40mm(1YsinJofslow frame at piers 12,1, and 14 bowels cross. Caterowth The facturecrginisshown in Fig.d. shop drawings ealled for a (Fi. 1, However the lete-penetration _ Scanned with CamScanner ‘Handbook of Case Histories in Fallure Analysis Testing Procedure and Results Metallography Flg.2 Fracturestinge butt weld joining the crossframe to the flange plate. ‘This error was overlooked during a review of the selected steel plates and full tions of the same plates were examined with an op- tical microscope at 1000x to determine the micro- structure present and, in the case of mixed microstructure, to quantify the proportions, Jominy testing revealed that only one of the plates/heats (plate D, ASTM A517 grade F, heat 74E002), manufactured by a second steel producer, hada high level ofhardenability,asjudgedby its mi, crostructure. The full-thickness eross section of this plate exhibited a microstructure characteristic of properly melted and heat treated A517 grade F steel. At a distance of 11 mm (%Ag in.) from the quenched end, the microstructure was 95% marten. site, The microstructure in the full cross section of the plate (65 mm, or 2¥ in, thick)consisted ofa uni- form, dense dispersion of fine carbide particles in a tempered martensite matrix—valid evidence of 95% martensite at midthickness. Such a microstructure is known to possess excellent fracture toughness in.) from the quenched end. The remaining temperature 40% consisted of coarse intermediate transformation product resembling upper beans Inthe full-thickness cross section, late A consign of 50% upper bainite at a depth of only 6.4 mam (hy in) below the plate surface, Moreover, at midthické ness in the plate, the microstructure contay Tands of ferritin combination with poclsotmarce™, site of higher than-average carbon content, Aon ‘Atotal of 27 cracks} the eMdsrot welds joining crosstrames seq flanges. The particular heat of stecl that developed brittle fracture was used in eight locations in bridge; 19 of the 27 edge cracks occurred in theeas. alty heat. a4 Chainsets AS7 gael ‘ovingPelevet oughress atean be oxerodw Oe Rodent iy Flg.5 Summary oe po ami tar and lente tactrestcne Bau noah? goo Pe anu Piss AL and aw ast gro Hf ie Date sr pat shawn Pa I Scanned with CamScanner Miscellaneous /371 + Fig. 6 ASTM £208 op woh xt rns or seer Plates A and D are both A517 grade F steel, but produced rate trimetingpactons PatecX atomeatacceatange result, plate A developed very low fracture tough- ness (compare Fig. 4 and 7) and widely different fracture characteristics between surface and midthickness of the plate (Fig. 6) ‘The hardenability of plate taken from the frac- tured flange (A517 grade H, heat C4913), as judged by the microstructure in the EQH Jominy bars, was superior to that of plate A. Ata Jominy distance of 16 mm (9 in.), the microstructure was 95% marten- site, but the proportion of martensite then de- creased rather rapidly to 70%at adistance of 25 mm (in) and ultimately to 50% martensite at 44.5 mm (G% in.) The microstructure in the full-thickness plate cross section consisted of a uniform, fine dis- persion of minute carbide particles in a tempered martensite matrix to a depth of 9.5 mm (¥ in.). At 17.5 mm (21g in.) below the plate surface, the mi- crostructure still consisted of 85% martensite and then decreased rather gradually to 70% tempered martensite at midthickness ofthe plate ‘Thus, the extremely low toughness of the casu- alty plate/heat (Fig. 8 and 9) would not be expected ‘based on the microstructure as described above, However, the microstructure was also found to con- Ty vramiuan ears orbetaceestanepa The Tae, Draricea esnmwe seen aan Ne Saray ane essepaste rare ia fale oro Sip rmwmahientoaraant 6°60 Fire stan 9 Fia.7 Charpy inpacttost resus or A517 grad Fata A, om ‘ha saa producer casuaty pata CK a 19.8. Chany tect test routs for he raced Nt tne aya vancton coves, whe are tt ovr he eae Lempert rage ante oxcoler agenantbeoreen abo te. Mts Tilo, NBS, Maton Burau of Sa dar AGG, Argo Garr and OX a wo aes mh ‘517 gad H canst neal COTS, 2 | LE“ best femttewmimcmy Bases rpratce pr ttten sce ear plates. AST7 grade (pate ee seen seer eaamiatinae a aes Scanned with CamScanner Case Histories in Fallure Analysi tain a unique and highly significant network of seg- ‘Tegate-phase particles that generally did not coin- cide with existing grain boundaries or “just-prior” austenite grain boundaries, This pervasive network of particles was considered to be the primary cause ofthe very low toughness of the casualty flange plate and, to a less degree, the inferior toughness of the other A517 grade H plates tested (for example, heat Bi Joining a crossbrace to the edge of the ABI7 grade flange. The outer portion of thiserack (~3 mm, or ¥4 in., deep by 32 mm, or 1% in., wide) was covered with a monolithic, smooth black film that tightly ad- hered to the underlying steel. The black layer was Judged ta be iron oxide scale (Feg0,), which formed uring or just after the crack formed at elevated ‘temperature, strongly suggesting that this portion of the crack’ was a welding hot erack. Figure 11 shows the fracture surface containing the edge crack and weld crack. ‘Strong support for the theory of hot eracking was provided by varestraintweldingtests of the casualty steel plate to determine the weld hot-cracking sus- ceptibility of the stecl. The great number of cracks that formed in steel cut from the fractured flange, coupled with the very large total crack lengths, de onstrated that this plate/heat wasinordinately sus- ceptible to weld hot eracking. Proof that these cracks were hot cracks that formed at elevated temperature during varestraint welding, rather than cold cracks, was obtained by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination of the crack surfaces. This examination revealed that the crack surfaces were interdendritic, a condition that could have occurred only during the last stage of resolidification of the fused metal. ‘Additionally, by means of electron microprobe analysis, it was found that microsegregation of tita- range edge crack thal ager tho bit fracture. Nota Flot cx ouek wrienoncuredattneand oftnatangoto-coes- {rare but wot Fig. 11 nium, sulfur, and manganese occurred in nium, sMereiiees of the crack surface. "0 aenegregation of titanium and manganese iy go fination with sulfur ean be expected to broadun temperature range of resolidification of the fuse tnetal produced by welding and thus account for ata daily high propensity for hot cracking eae ited by the casualty plate/heat. ‘The hot crack (~8 mm, or Yin. deep) triggered ‘approximately 40 mm (1 in.) of slow crack growth, starting at the outer limit of the weld heat-affected gone (HAZ), where the microstructure was a mix. fare of about 50% ferrite grains and 50% small poy of ferritelearbide aggregate. Crack extension apy peared to arrest temporarily in this location, exhiy- ing significant evidence of metal doformation in the erack surface in the form of flow lines and neck. ing, which indicated an increased resistance ty cracking, SEM examination of the crack surface in this location revealed dimple formation. Ina narrow zone just beyond this crack-arrest location, where the crack restarted, the microstructure of the plate ‘appeared to be additionally tempered by the heat of Welding, attended by even more pronounced micro: seopic deformation (necking and tearing) in the crack surface profil. "This region of increased resistance t erack propagation was short lived, because the adjacent ‘rack profile revealed an abrupt reversion toa pre- dominantly brittle, quasicleavage mode of miero scopic cracking. Examination at several locations along the fracture path showed that abrittle mode of cracking prevailed throughout the flange fracture In all the areas investigated, the microscopic frac- ture features were characteristic of low-energy brit- tle fracture. There was little or no evidence of miero- void formation and coalescence such as would be expected in good-quality constructional alloy steel at service temperatures down to at least ~10°C(—10 °F), The flange fractured at 15 °C (58 °F). A highly significant feature of the brittle, quast cleavage mode of fracture in the failed flange was that the mierascopie cracking path coincided witha Pervasive microscopic network of closely spaced, clonguted, hard, sogregate-phase parties, even 1° the extent that secondary eracking (out ofthe main. crack plane) occurred preferentially along such & network. This finding supplied strong evidence that the abnormal network provided a preferred, weak brittle path for erack propagation in the ange causingiit to fracture ata very low stressintensit* the presence of the 40 mm (114 in.) deep edge cr It is noteworthy that this same network was found in compact tension (ASTM £399) test spec mens of the casualty plate, with a plane-strain ture toughness (Kic) of 60 MPavim (55 ksivin. at °C(68°R), the temperature of brittle fracture it bridge (Table 1), Furthermore, the same netwer Table 1 Results of compacttension testing _— os actors ough Fracture een iy a8 os , oa g 2 OB aa _ —_ Scanned with CamScanner hanical perties was observed, but to.a lesser extent, in specimens ol other heats of ABI? grado H ste, Int no tence ot such a network could be found in specimens taken from plates of AS17 grade F steel, including those melted by the producer of the casualty steel, Elec. tron microprobe analysis of the network particles, in sity, showed that they consisted mainly of tania, ‘sulfur, and carbon; that is, they were a titanium car. gufiran vereatitanium Microscopic examination of sections throu vareatraint el ho eke ip the eau ge ‘material revealed that the path of hot cracking fol- lowed the particle network inta the parent plate at the fusion line. Thus, it was indicated that the parti- cle network observed in the A517 grade H plates, particularly in the casualty flange plate, was the cause of the very high weld hot-cracking susceptibil- toughness, Impact Toughness. Thip study madeextensive ‘of the standard Charpy V-notch impact and pre- crack Charpy impact tests, which were found to be highly sensitive to melting: practice and variations in toughness from heat to heat. Figure 8 shows the atypical test results obtained from the casualty heat. In marked contrast, Fig. 12 illustrates the gen- erally typical behavior of A517 grade F steel melted by a second stec] producer using a titanium addi- tion. Figure 13 illustrates the displacement in tran- sition curves resulting from an omission of titanium through oversight in the second steel producers melting operation. Figure 7 shows the extremely Tow toughness inthe At” grade F produced by the ‘original supplier, whose melting practice for grade F steel did not include a titanium addition. Charpy impact testing also provided evidence that the toughness of A517 grade I] stee! is inferior to that of properly melted A517 grade F steel in the 50 mm (2 in.) thickness (ASTM specification limit) fas well as in the 57 mim (2% in.) flange plate thick- ness. Tests were conducted on A517 grade 11 50 mm (Zin) thick plate from two steel producers, includ- ing the supplier of the casualty plate (Fig. 14). Fig. ture 15 shows the results obtained from two heats of Miscollaneous / 373 ‘Fg. 12 Charpy mpact lost resus or ASI7 grado F, plato M. ‘Corpo wit Bato Bn Fg. 4 Dor pales wor proxi by te Sara meting prac, ara bem wore markedly sup¢ror 0 any of (ne ASIT pace sargies toate, eae Fig. 13 Charpy impacts! resus for ASI7 grade F heat TALS. ‘This heat was meted wihout a Baru aden, in volaton ol he stool producers elandard practoo, Compare wi Fig. 4 are 12, we show resus fr steel om ha Sarna procucer Dut wih um acced. ! C " Le 4 i ry ! c | — fat rests fr 50 mm (2) Bick ASYT Fig. 14. Charpy impact tst 17 (ada neat Azx91 38, produced tho tare math ‘Pocamuty heat re 18 crasy pa nso Heth St ey tao me) nasi Som Ss remanent (Fig. 4 and 12), mess compared with A517 grade F Scanned with CamScanner 1 Handbook of Case Histories In Failure Analysis AB17 grade H 60 mm (2 in.) thick plate supplied by nation of the test specimens revealed increasing the second preducer, These results are in marked amountsafdimpled rupture (ductile fracture) above contrast to those obtained from AGL7 grade F sup- the lower inflection point in the Ke versus test tem, Plied by the same producer (ace Fig. 4 and 12). perature plots. Under impact, the infection point Fracture Toughness. Of the seven heats of for the particular heat plotted in Fig. 17 occurred at steel tested according to ASTM E399 ("Standard approximately 4°C (40 F)(see Pig. 10fortheimpact ‘Test Method for Plane-Strain Fracture Toughnessof test results), The casualty heat of A517 grade H vas Metallic Materials"), the casualty heat of ABI7 —_uniquein hat it did notdevelop the infletion corre. grade H had the lowest fracture toughness, with a sponding to elastic-plastic behavior over the entire Critical crack size of only 8.1 mm (0.32 in.) (edge range of temperature investigated in either static crack) at -20°C (0°F), Furthermore, the plotof Kie_Kicor Charpy impact testing versus test temperature for the casualty heat was Fatigue Properties. Fatigue crack growth asa lunique in that the onset of elastic-plastic behavior trigger of brittle fracture involves two cons ddid not occur within the range oftemperaturetested tions in fracture testing: (1) static plane-strain frac (up to 70°C, or 160°F). ture toughness (Kic) measurements to determine igure 16 shows the plot of Kie versus test tem- _theertical crack size for agiven crack configuration perature for the casualty heat. The specimens in (anedgecrack in the case of this bridge)at the maxi- this plot are from two locations inthe failed bridge; mum stress and the lowest temperature anticipated the data were remarkubly consistent irrespectiveot in service, and (2) fatigue crack growth rate(daidN) the plate tested and specimen thickness. measurements to permit a determination of the Figure 17 shows the onset of clasticplastic be- numberof eycles fora fatigue erack to reach erica havior that was observed in all other heats of steel size. Many bridges in the 1970s and 1980s devel- investigated. In this particular heat, the onset of oped brittle fracture in the first. decade of servic elastic-plasticbehavior occurredat approximately-23 the bridge involved in this failure analysis deve *C(-10 °F) in the Kic testing. Fractographic exarni- fi : : : 16 ASTM-EB0 plane-stan compactansion st rests fr Pliseutestange nora wsreutstoriwe deren pues, Suitrecke Stwosmecmenszas(25ands0'mmor ana? Fg. 7 Compact anion test ests for 57 mm 2 i) fh SKhumjtclonscamoncine,whnoewsercecteaspieste _-ASI7 adel Peat AD? New nw onset ost sasteha™ Echwortoatleat 70°C (160 tort opronaiay 20°C Coes ‘Table 2 Predicted lite In a 760 mm (90 in.) wide lange as a function of edge crack depth, fracture toughness, and stress range Maximum stress, 260MPa(30kal) MPa (6s ce, 89 Pa (12) —— — Fracture fe urate) _ Sir Geet toute erckvize_Cycleto _erncerze ale aii “a fatere’ as AMS jy Sse 25 010 o, 5 1278 hunas a8 soy «234908 jaw o s a aise aaah an 0m o $ om sma te Gl 2 he vaossti taal ATS ate nm Re jie Beta te 27 030 17 10 me 293.436 2062 oa? 61.08" 234 010 -, LJ a7 1,789,429, a7 1.617 190 2 ae v0 for toess3 ey tery 406 oe a fonoeo oy tetra Scanned with CamScanner miscellaneous / 375 a [ PLATE cK-1 HEAT 1027-44 . Ion oon ee ated

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