The impact of seepage effect on repaired interface failure in steel bridge deck pavement: A case of pothole distress

The repeated failure of repaired interface in steel bridge deck pavement (SBDP) under complex service environment makes SBDP maintenance challenging. The primary objective of this paper was to figure out the impact of seepage on repaired interface failure, addressing the secondary damage on SBDP after distresses maintenance. A uni-body bi-material structure (UBS) specimen was fabricated to simulate the repaired interface. Besides, a simulation experimental device of hydrodynamic scouring action was put forward to evaluate the effect of cycle numbers on failure behavior of repaired interface during an indirect tensile test. In addition, numerical simulation analysis was conducted to determine the tensile stress characteristics of repaired interface under loadseepage coupling effect. Findings revealed that the failure state of repaired interface may change from brittle fracture to large deformation damage under seepage effect. The longer the duration of hydrodynamic scouring action, the more serious damage of the repaired interface, with 540 cycles resulting in an approximately 25 % reduction in interface strength. Furthermore, the stress condition of repaired interface is significantly worse when consider the coupling effect of load and seepage, approximately 40 % greater than that of a single load action. And it is closely related to its relative position with the orthotropic steel bridge deck and the actual stress conditions. The research findings presented in this paper can serve as a theoretical foundation for SBDP maintenance.