Methodology to Estimate Remaining Service Life of Steel Structure by Possibilistic Reliability Theory

Steel structure system of crane deteriorates over time due to environmental effects, material fatigue, and overloading. System structural reliability and remaining service life assessment methods are developed during the few decades. But until now estimating remaining service life methods of crane steel system by reliability theory begin to develop. Safety assessment of existing steel structure system requires the development of a methodology that allows for an accurate evaluation of reliability and prediction of the remaining life. Steel structures are the supporting elements in the special equipment such as hoisting machinery. Structure reliability and remaining service life safe assessment are important for steel structures. For finding the reason which caused the failure modes (such as fatigue strength failure, stiffness failure and stability failure), incremental loading method based on possibilistic reliability is applied into dynamic structure failure path research. Through reliability analyzing and calculating for crane, it is demonstrated that fatigue damage is the most common failure mode. Fuzzy fatigue damage accumulation theory is used for basis theory and Paris-Eadogan equations are used for mathematical modeling. All fatigue parameter values of the welding box girder of bridge cranes are determined and fatigue remaining life formulas are deduced. After field test and collecting working parameters of numerous cranes, typical fatigue load spectrum was compiled for the dangerous point of box girders used in the area. Fatigue remaining life is assessed for different types and lifting capacities. Safety for steel structure system of bridge crane is assessed by two quantitative indexs: reliability and remaining life. Therefore, the evaluation means is more comprehensive and reasonable. The example shows that the two quantitative indexs are mutually correlated. Through analyzing the 120 t-22.5 m bridge crane of a certain enterprise, a new methodology to estimate remaining service life of steel structure by possibilistic reliability theory is introduced for safety evaluation of structure system.