• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.237-247
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• 2020

Shear connectors are essential elements in the design of steel-concrete composite systems. These connectors are utilized to prevent the occurrence of potential slips at the interface of steel and concrete. The two types of shear connectors which have been recently employed in construction projects are C- and L-shaped connectors. In the current study, the behavior of C and L-shaped angle shear connectors is investigated experimentally. For this purpose, eight push-out tests were composed and subjected to monotonic loading. The load-slip curves and failure modes have been determined. Also, the shear strength of the connectors has been compared with previously developed relationships. Two failure modes of shear connectors were observed: 1) concrete crushing-splitting and 2) shear connector fracture. It was found that the L-shaped connectors have less shear strength compared to C-shaped connectors, and decreasing the angle leg size increases the shear strength of the C-shaped connectors, but decreases the relative ductility and strength of L-shaped connectors.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.335-340
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• 2018

The behavior of concrete slabs in composite beam with C and L shaped angle shear connectors has been studied in this paper. These two types of angle shear connectors' instalment have been commonly utilized. In this study, the finite element (FE) analysis and soft computing method have been used both to present the shear connectors' push out tests and providing data results used later in soft computing method. The current study has been performed to present the aforementioned shear connectors' behavior based on the variable factors aiming the study of diverse factors' effects on C and L shaped angle in shear connectors. ANFIS (Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System), has been manipulated in providing the effective parameters in shear strength forecasting by providing input-data comprising: height, length, thickness of shear connectors together with concrete strength and the respective slip of shear connectors. ANFIS has been also used to identify the predominant parameters influencing the shear strength forecast in C and L formed angle shear connectors.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.413-424
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• 2018

The factors affecting the shear strength of the angle shear connectors in the steel-concrete composite beams can play an important role to estimate the efficacy of a composite beam. Therefore, the current study has aimed to verify the output of shear capacity of angle shear connector according to the input provided by Support Vector Machine (SVM) coupled with Firefly Algorithm (FFA). SVM parameters have been optimized through the use of FFA, while genetic programming (GP) and artificial neural networks (ANN) have been applied to estimate and predict the SVM-FFA models' results. Following these results, GP and ANN have been applied to develop the prediction accuracy and generalization capability of SVM-FFA. Therefore, SVM-FFA could be performed as a novel model with predictive strategy in the shear capacity estimation of angle shear connectors. According to the results, the Firefly algorithm has produced a generalized performance and be learnt faster than the conventional learning algorithms.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.103-115
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• 2019

In this study, the strength and stiffness (EI) of wood-concrete composite beams for bridges with T-shaped cross section were evaluated. Two types of connectors were used: connectors bonded with epoxy adhesive and connectors attached to the wood just by pre-drilling (without adhesive). The connectors consisted of common steel bars with a diameter of 12.5 mm. Initially, the strength and stiffness (EI) of the beams were analyzed by bending tests with the load applied at the third point of the beam. Subsequently, the composite beams were evaluated by numerical simulation using ANSYS software with focus on the connection system. To make the composite beams, Eucalyptus citriodora wood and medium strength concrete were used. The slip modulus K and the ultimate strength values of each type of connector were obtained by direct shear tests performed on composite specimens. The results showed that the connector glued with epoxy adhesive resulted in better strength and stiffness (EI) for the composite beams when compared to the connector fixed by pre-drilling. The differences observed were up to 10%. The strength and stiffness (EI) values obtained analytically by $M{\ddot{o}}hler^{\prime}$ model were lower than the values obtained experimentally from the bending tests, and the differences were up to 25%. The numerical simulations allowed, with reasonable approximation, the evaluation of stress distributions in the composite beams tested experimentally.