Fatigue life improvement of welded bridge details using high frequency mechanical impact (HFMI) treatment

Paper in proceeding, 2015

Post weld treatment (PWT) techniques are used as measures to enhance the fatigue performance of steel and aluminum structures. These techniques have proven beneficial in various applications such as submarine hulls, offshore wind platforms and cranes. High Fre-quency Mechanical Impact (HFMI) treatment enhance the fatigue life of weldments by reduc-ing the notch stresses, hardening the metal surface and inducing compressive surface residual stresses. This paper gives a short presentation of the HFMI technology and examples of their application in steel bridges. A feasibility assessment and a parametric study on the potential of material saving with PWT on steel bridges is also presented.