Multiaxial Fatigue Damage Analysis of Steel–Concrete Composite Beam Based on the Smith–Watson–Topper Parameter

Abstract

The fatigue performance of steel–concrete composite beams is crucial for ensuring structural safety. To account for the member’s multiaxial stress state, this study employed the critical surface method, using fatigue damage parameters as an evaluation index for assessing fatigue performance. Static and fatigue performance tests on steel–concrete beams were conducted to identify failure characteristics, which informed the development of a finite element model that incorporates concrete damage. Using the SWT model, the most unfavorable loading parameters were determined by analyzing critical paths on the test beams, providing a basis for predicting how initial defects impact fatigue performance. The impact of initial defects on the fatigue performance of the composite beam is assessed using this criterion. The results indicate that the discrepancy between the actual and predicted load capacities of the test beam is within 5%, and cyclic loading significantly affects the test beam’s mechanical properties, resulting in a 27% reduction in load capacity and a 48% increase in deflection after 2 million cycles. Finite element modeling reveals that components experience multiaxial stress, with test beam mechanical property changes aligning with predicted fatigue damage parameters, confirming the reliability of using these parameters as a criterion. As the strength of the composite beams diminished due to pore defects, the fatigue damage parameter escalated, increasing the likelihood of crack formation. However, once the concrete’s strength fell to a level where the pegs were insufficiently constrained, the structural damage pattern shifted, and the fatigue damage parameter subsequently decreased.