No abstract

For composite beams using novel steel sheeting, the current Eurocode 4 rules sometimes overestimate the load bearing capacity of the shear connector. This is due to the larger rib heights and the smaller rib widths in comparison with the old studies, which have been carried out to calibrate the current design equations. The RFCS Project "DISCCO" investigated this phenomena and the working group under mandate M515, CEN/TC250/SC4/SC4.T3 is enhancing this equation and working on a proposal to be taken over in the new version of Eurocode 4. The proposed new equation covers the failure behaviour of the shear connection more in detail. The test results show, that the failure consists in a combined concrete cone and stud in bending. Due to the geometry of novel steel sheeting, the load bearing capacity of the headed stud shear connector is no more limited by its shear capacity, but by its bending capacity. A 3D non-linear finite element model is developed and validated through the support of the DISCCO push-out tests. A good agreement between numerical and experimental results in terms of force-slip behaviour is achieved. Special attention of this work lies on the numerical evaluation of the number of plastic hinges n y : a stress-based procedure is presented and the results are compared to the equations presented for new Eurocode 4. The numerical simulations show that the upper plastic hinge moves up as the slip increases due to the progressive crushing of the concrete in the rib. From the parametric study, it turns out that n y is linearly proportional to the embedment depth. Compared to pre-punched hole decking, through-deck welding specimen activates less plastic hinges in the studs because of the higher stiffness provided at the base of the stud.

The deconstruction of steel-concrete composite structures in buildings and the later separation of the materials is a labour-and cost intensive work. The shear studs are welded on the steel beam and imbedded in the concrete deck and a large amount of cutting work becomes necessary. As a result, recycling is difficult and the potential for reusing entire elements is lost. The carbon footprint of composite structures could be decreased by application of the principles of "design for deconstruction and reuse". This paper presents a desk top study and corresponding laboratory experiments on demountable shear connectors that facilitate recyclability and even provide the potential for reusing complete structural elements. In the Laboratory of Steel and Composite Structures of the University of Luxembourg 15 push-out tests have been carried out using different bolted connection systems suitable for multiple uses in order to verify their performance focusing on shear strength, stiffness, slip capacity, ductility and ability of demounting. The investigated systems included pre-stressed and epoxy resin injection bolts, solid slabs and composite slabs with profiled decking. The results showed that the tested demountable shear connections could provide higher shear resistance than conventional shear connections. The critical failure mode is shear failure of the bolts, while there was no visible damage observed on the connected members. Most of the tested connections could fulfil the ductility requirement according to by Eurocode 4. The application of epoxy resin in the hole clearance resulted in lower slip capacity. The outcome provides an important basis for the justification of the forthcoming enhancement and validation of numerical models of the demountable shear connections. The failure behaviour, the observed damages and the resulting ability of the elements for re-use are discussed in detail.

No abstract

The current regulations of EN1994-1-1 for headed stud shear connections in composite beams with profiled sheeting lead, for some configurations, to an over-estimation of the load-bearing capacity. Since these design equations are based on empirical considerations, they are not able to capture the real mechanical behaviour of the connector and they do not consider appropriately the influence of the geometry of sheeting on the shear capacity. For this reason, the load-bearing mechanisms of the shear connection are identified in this work with the support of experimental and numerical results. According to the static system presented, the concrete rib is modelled as a system of diagonal struts acting simultaneously in combination with the stud in bending. It is observed that at 2÷4 mm slip, a "Strut and beam" mechanism prevails where the resistance of the connector depends mostly on the plastic hinges activated in the stud and on the capacity of the diagonal strut in front of it. By increasing the slip (ca. 4÷10 mm), the surrounding concrete progressively crushes while the tensile stresses at the edge of the rib reach the tensile strength of the material. As a consequence of this loss of rotational stiffness, the bending capacity developed in the stud reduces and the upper hinges gradually moves towards the slab. At higher displacements (ca. 20÷40 mm), due to nonlinear geometric effects, high tensile forces develop in the stud and the load is carried through a "Strut and Tie" resistance mechanism, if the embedment of the stud is sufficient. By further increasing the slip, the whole rib rotates or the failure occurs either for concrete pull-out or stud rupture. This contribution describes the sequence of the activated load-bearing mechanisms in headed stud shear connections with profiled steel sheeting at different displacements.

For composite beams using novel steel sheeting, the current Eurocode 4 rules sometimes overestimate the load bearing capacity of the shear connector. This is due to the larger rib heights and the smaller rib widths in comparison with the old studies, which have been carried out to calibrate the current design equations. The RFCS Project “DISCCO” investigated this phenomena and the working group under mandate M515, CEN/TC250/SC4/SC4.T3 is enhancing this equation and working on a proposal to be taken over in the new version of Eurocode 4.The proposed new equation covers the failure behaviour of the shear connection more in detail. The test results show, that the failure consists in a combined concrete cone and stud in bending. Due to the geometry of novel steel sheeting, the load bearing capacity of the headed stud shear connector is no more limited by its shear capacity, but by its bending capacity.A 3D non-linear finite element model is developed and validated through the support of the DISCCO push-out tests. A good agreement between numerical and experimental results in terms of force-slip behaviour is achieved. Special attention of this work lies on the numerical evaluation of the number of plastic hinges ny: a stress-based procedure is presented and the results are compared to the equations presented for new Eurocode 4.The numerical simulations show that the upper plastic hinge moves up as the slip increases due to the progressive crushing of the concrete in the rib. From the parametric study, it turns out that ny is linearly proportional to the embedment depth. Compared to pre-punched hole decking, through-deck welding specimen activates less plastic hinges in the studs because of the higher stiffness provided at the base of the stud.

No abstract

The development of the " CoSFB-Betondübel" is presented in