The state of knowledge about the strength of structures is well above the knowledge about serviceability and durability. Research is needed on detecting and preventing damage in service and from deterioration.
The areas of fatigue and fracture mechanics on the one hand, and the fields of structural stability on the other hand, should converge into a more Unified conceptual entity.
The problems resulting from the combination of inelastic stability and low-cycle fatigue in connections subject to severe cyclic loads due to seismic action will need to be solved.
The performance of members, connections and connectors (e.g., shear connectors) under severe cyclic and dynamic loading requires extensive new research, including shakedown behavior.
The list could go on, but one should never be too dogmatic about the future of such a highly creative activity as research. Nature, society and economics will provide sufficient challenges for the future generation of structural engineers.
中文译文 近期美国在钢结构和钢筋混凝土结构研究和设计方面的发展
这篇文章将总结对钢结构的研究展望。
1.钢结构桥梁的研究
美国国家运输和公路官员协会(AASTH0)是为美国桥梁发布设计标准的权威。1994年它发行了一个新的设计规范,这是一个限定性规范,它是以可靠性理论为基础而建立的。在过去10年中的大量工作促 使了该规范的发展,尤其是在对原有规范的校准和概率性评估方面。连同国际单位制的引入,目前该规范已经应用于各个设计事务所。这种新的设计方法还存在许多问题,对桥梁擎体系统的可靠性研究还有很多新的课题。一个目前的课题就是研究并发展概率模型、荷载系数以及合理的荷载组合法则,以处理活载和风载;活载和地震;活载、风和船只碰撞;船只碰撞、风和冲刷作用这些共同作用对桥的影响。此外,还通过利用现代监控工具,例如声传播技术和其他非破坏性测试方法,对桥体进行现场测量。这些现场工作不仅需要并行的试验室研究相配合,还需要快速发展高科技数据传输方法。