Mechanical connectors are used to develop
the composite action between steel beam
and concrete.
This connection is provided mainly to
resist longitudinal shear, and is referred to
as the “shear connection”.
Requirements of Shear Connection :
Transfer direct shear at their base
Create a tensile link into the concrete
Be economic to manufacture and fix
1
Full Interaction
Infinitely stiff shear connection,
No slip and slip strain,
Plane sections remain plane
With regard to resistance, the connection is
considered to be complete if the resistance of
the composite beam is decided by the
bending resistance, not the horizontal shear
resistance.
2
Partial Interaction
Incomplete interaction arises when flexible
connectors such as headed studs are used
slip(relative displacement) occurs at the
steel-concrete interface
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Load-Slip Curve
The behavior and resistance of headed studs
and other connectors are examined by means
of “shear” or “push out” tests.
The behavior is characterised by great
stiffness at low loading(under service
conditions) and large deformations at high
loadings up to failure. Such ductile behavior
makes shear force redistribution at the steel-
concrete interface possible and allows for
partial shear connection.
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2.1 Effect of shear connection on the behavior of
simple beams
Simply-supported rectangular cross-section
Assumption-Beam is made of linearly elastic material
with Young’s modulus E
No shear connection:
σ=MC/I
W’= w/2, c=h/2 and I= bh3/12
max = 3wL2/(8bh2)
max = 3wL/(8bh)
Mx = w(L2 – 4x2)/16
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Longitudinal
strain x at the bottom fiber of
the upper beam is:
x = (3w/(8Ebh2))(L2 – 4x2)
There is an equal and opposite strain in the top
fiber of the lower beam, so that the difference
between these adjacent fibers, known as slip
strain, is 2x
The end faces of the two-component beam
have the shape shown in the following Figure
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The slip at the interface, s, is zero at x=0 and
a maximum at x = L/2
“Plane sections… remain plane”, is valid only
for the section at x = 0 “Plane sections…
do not remain plane”
Note: slip strain is the rate of change of slip
along the beam
Thus from above:
ds/dx = 2x= (3w/(4Ebh2))(L2 – 4x2)
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Integration gives slip, s:
s = (w/(4Ebh2))(3L2x– 4x3)+C1
constant of integration is zero, since s=0
when x=0.
At midspan, slip strain is a maximum and slip
is zero, and at the ends of the beam, slip is a
maximum and slip strain is zero.
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Order of magnitude of maximum slip:
Max slip occurs at x=L/2 and is equal to
Smax = wL3/4Ebh2
max = 5wL4/64Ebh3
Ratio of slip to deflection is 3.2h/L much
smaller than deflection
Shear connection must be very stiff if it is to
be effective
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Full Interaction
Assumptions:
the two halves are connected by infinitely stiff
shear connection
The two members behave as one
Slip and slip strain are everywhere zero, and
it can be assumed that plane sections remain
plane
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W’= w, c=h and I= b(2h)3/12
max = 3wL2/(16bh2)
max = 3wL/(8bh)
max = 5wL4/256Ebh3
Owing to the provision of the shear
connection, the maximum shear is
unchanged, but the maximum bending stress
is halved and the deflection is reduced by a
quarter.
shear connection increases both strength
and stiffness.
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Shear connection must be designed for the
longitudinal shear per unit length v, known as
the shear flow.
In the example: vx = xb = 3wx/(4h)
vx=wx (x=0 at the mid-span)
Integration gives the total shear flow in a half
span: V = 3wL2/(32h) [0-L/2]
Typically L/(2h) 20 for beams
the shear connection in the whole span has
to resist 2 3wL2/(32h) 8wL
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The shear force is eight times the load
carried by the beam, i.e. ,the shear connection
has to be very strong
In elastic design, the shear connectors are
spaced in accordance with the shear flow
If the design shear resistance of a connector
is PRd , the spacing s is given by: PRd svx
(Eurocode 4 gives also maximum spacing)
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Uplift
Stresses tending to cause uplift can occur at
the interface.
Shear connectors used in practice are
therefore so shaped that they provide
resistance to uplift as well as to slip (e.g. heads
in the shear studs)
Uplift forces are so much less than shear
forces
need not be calculated for design purposes
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2.2Methods of Shear Connection
(a) Bond
Where the steel component of a composite
member is surrounded by RC, as in fully
encased beam, the analogy with RC
suggests that no shear connectors need
be provided.
Tests have shown that this is usually true
for cased stanchions and filled tubes,
where bond stresses are low, and also for
encased beams in the elastic range
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(b) Shear Connectors
Most widely used type of connector is the
headed stud (shank, weld collar, head)
They range in diameter from 13 to 22mm,
and in length (h) from 50 to 525 mm
They are made of steel with ultimate tensile
strength fu between 450-600 N/mm2 and
min elongation of 15%
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The maximum shear force that can be
resisted by a stud is relatively low, about 150
kN
Other types of connector with higher strength
have been developed, primarily for use in
bridges
These are bar with hoops, tees with hoops,
horseshoes, and channels (see figure in
Literature)
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Shear connection for profiled steel sheeting
Impracticable to weld shear connectors to
sheeting with t < 1mm.
Shear connection is provided either by
pressed or rolled dimples (indentations and
protrusions) or
By giving the profile a re-entrant shape that
prevents separation of the steel form
concrete
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Profiled steel sheeting
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Shear Profiled
connector sheeting
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Properties of shear connectors
The property of a shear connector most
relevant to design is the relationship b/n the
shear force transmitted, P, and the slip at the
interface, s.
This load-slip curve are determined from
standard “push tests”. The flanges of a short
length of steel I-section are connected to two
small RC slabs
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Details of the “standard push test” of Eurocde
4 is shown in Figure
The slabs are bedded on the lower platen of a
CTM, and the load is applied to the upper end
of the steel section
Slip b/n the components are measured at
several pts, and the average slip is plotted
against the load per connector
Figure shows a typical load-slip curve for
dowels with and w/o profiled sheeting (Bode)
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31
Figure shows that
dowel capacity in
beams w/o profiled
sheeting is higher
32
The design shear resistance of studs with
h/d 4 (α=1)is given in Eurocde 4 as the
lesser of two values:
PRd = 0.8fu(d2/4)/v
PRd = 0.29αd2(fckEcm)1/2/v
Where fu=ultimate tensile strength of the
steel ( 500 N/mm2), v =1.25
α=0.2[(h/d)+1] for 3<h/d<4 (EBCS 4)
d<22mm
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There are two situations in which the
resistance of a connector found from push
tests may be too high for use in design.
i) repeated loading such as that due to
passage of traffic over a bridge.
ii) the other is where the lateral restraint to
the concrete in contact with the connector is
less than that provided in a push test, as in a
haunched beam with connectors too close to
a free surface
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Eurocde 4 standard equations for resistance
of connectors are allowed in haunched beams
only where the x-section satisfies certain
conditions.
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These are:
(i) Concrete cover to the side of the connector
may not be less than 50 mm.
(ii) The free concrete surface may not lie
within the line CD (see the Fig in the previous
slide), which runs from the base of the
connector at an angle of 45o with the steel
flange
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Stud connectors used with profiled steel sheeting
Eurocode 4 specifies reduction factors, applied
to the resistance PRd used for solid slabs
For sheeting with ribs parallel to the beam,
the factor is, Kl = 0.6(bo/hp)(h/hp-1) 1.0
h is taken as not greater than hp+75 mm
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For sheeting with ribs transverse to the beam
the factor is:
kt = 0.7bo/((Nr)0.5hp)(h/hp-1) 1.0
where Nr is the number of connectors in one
rib where it crosses a beam, not to be taken
as greater than 2 in calculations
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Longitudinal shear in composite slabs
There are three types of shear connection b/n
a profiled steel sheet and a concrete slab
(i) natural bond b/n the two sheets with re-
entrant profiles were developed (frictional
interlock) unreliable unless separation at
the interface is prevented
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(ii) The second type of shear connection is
achieved by providing “mechanical interlock",
by pressing dimples or ribs in to the sheet
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(iii)The third type of shear connection is “end
anchorage”, This can be provided where the
end of the sheet rests on a steel beam, by
means of shot-fired pins, or by welding studs
through the sheeting to the steel flange
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Block connectors in Solid Slabs
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3 rd Class
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The m-k or shear-bond test
The effectiveness of shear connection is
studied by means of loading tests on simply
supported slabs.
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The length of each shear span, Ls, is usually
L/4.
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There are thee possible modes of failure
(i) in flexure, at a x-section such as 1-1
(ii) in longitudinal shear, along length such as
2-2; and
(iii) in vertical shear, at a cross-section such
as 3-3
The expected mode of failure in a test
depends on the ratio of Ls to the effective
depth dp of the slab
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The results are plotted on a diagram with
axes V/(bdp) and Ap/(bLs)
At high Ls/dp, flexural failure occurs. The
maximum moment Mu, is given by Mu = VLs
(V = max vertical shear)
Flexural failure is modeled by simple plastic
theory, with all the steel at its yield stress, fyp
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The lever arm is a little less than dp, but
approximately:
MuApfypdp
Substitution yields:
V/(bdp) = Mu/(bdpLs) Apfyp/bLs
The strength fyp is not varied during a series of
tests, and has no influence on longitudinal shear
failure. omitted from the axis on figure
flexural failure plots as a straight line through
the origin (OA)
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0
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Longitudinal shear failures occurs at
intermediate values of Ls/dp and lie near
the line
V/(bdp) =m(Ap/(bLs) + k (Line AB)
Where m and k are constants to be
determined by testing
This is one of the two methods given by
Eurocode 4 to design for longitudinal
shear.
The other based on a mechanical model is
the partial interaction design method
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The influence of bond is minimized in the
standard test, by the application of several
thousand cycles of repeated loading up to 1.5
times the expected loading in service, before
loading to failure
When a new profile is developed, values of m
and k have to be determined, in principle, for
each thickness of sheeting, each overall
depth of the slab, and for a range of concrete
strengths expensive
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Partial Interaction
Slip is not zero.
How the behaviour of a beam is modified by
the presence of slip?
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The cross-section consists of:
concrete slab of thickness, hc, cross-sectional
area Ac, and second moment of area Ic, and Ec
a symmetrical steel section with corresponding
properties hs, Aa and Ia, Ea.
The distance between the centroids of the
concrete and steel cross-sections, dc, is given by:
dc=(hc+hs)/2 and n=Ea/Ec
Shear connectors of modulus k at uniform
spacing of p is provided.
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The results of the analysis are expressed in
terms of two functions of the cross-section of
the member and the stiffness of its shear
connection, α and β (British Standards
Institution).
kc is a reduction coefficient,
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The governing equation relating slip s to
distance along the beam from mid-span, x,
is:
The boundary conditions are:
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Effect of slip on stresses and deflections
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Dimensions
Shear connectors
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The distribution of slip along the beam and
the stresses and curvature at mid-span are
now found by partial-interaction theory
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Upon substitution an expression for slop
becomes:
The bending moment at mid-span, wL2/8,
can be considered to be the sum of a
'concrete' moment Mc, a 'steel' moment Ma,
and a 'composite' moment F*dc
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