Metal Fatigue in Bridges and Structures

Metal fatigue in bridges and other structures develops when repeated loads weaken metal over time. The Silver Bridge collapse in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, in 1967 brought this problem into focus. The eyebar-chain suspension bridge over the Ohio River failed during evening rush hour, and 46 people died.

Fatigue failure in metal structures that undergo cyclic loading can occur without warning at loads significantly below the ultimate strength of a structure. It is difficult to model this behavior, so it is important to assess fatigue characteristics in the laboratory and to monitor fatigue cracks in the field.

The collapse of the Silver B...