Evaluation of formulations for predicting the shear strength of concrete filled circular holes in steel plates

Abstract

Since the development of perforated plate shear connectors, different formulations have been proposed to predict their shear strength. Most of these formulations were derived from standard push-tests on multiple concrete filled holes (CFH) specimens simulating specific steel-concrete composite beam applications. Aiming at a more general application of these connectors in composite structures and the understanding of the physical and geometric parameters that influence their shear strength, the present work evaluated the use of 12 different formulations to predict 92 test results of single-hole specimens extracted from the literature. Such tests were chosen because the single-hole configuration allows better isolation of the connection behavior which facilitates comparative analysis. The predictions were statistically evaluated, and it was considered that the best formulations were those that showed lower scatter of data and a correction factor closer to one. Also, it was investigated if the individual terms that constitute the formulations adequately describe or show relation to the mechanics that govern the connection. It was verified that the best statistically rated formulations were also the ones showing clearer relation to the connector mechanical behavior. Among the evaluated formulations, three were significantly better than the others for strength prediction, however, it was noted that they can be further improved by considering the influence of concrete confinement and plate thickness on the hole’s strength.