• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.57-65
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• 2017

The fatigue fracture of studs is the main reason for failure of composite beams based on massive engineering practices. Hence, studying the laws of cracks initiation and propagation are of great directive significance. eXtended Finite Element Method (XFEM) is an effective method in solving moving discontinuous problems in recent years. This paper extends our recent work on the fatigue damage analysis of stud shear connectors in the steel and crumble rubber concrete (RRFC) composite beams based on XFEM. The process of crack initiation to failure of the stud is simulated and an effective calculation criteria for the fatigue life of the composite beams is put forward. After the reliability of the numerical analysis is verified based on tests results, the extensive parametric study is conducted concerning effects of different rubber contents, shear connection degrees and the stress amplitudes. Results show that with the increasing rubber contents and shear connection degrees, the fatigue lives of composite beams increase obviously. Furthermore, the relationship between the fatigue life of the stud at the edge of the shear span and the whole composite beams is studied. Finally, the S-N curves of the single stud and the whole composite beams are put forward based on XFEM.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.45-67
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• 2010

Composite steel-concrete structures are employed extensively in modern high rise buildings and bridges. This concept has achieved wide spread acceptance because it guarantees economic benefits attributable to reduced construction time and large improvements in stiffness. Even though the combination of steel and concrete enhances the strength and stiffness of composite beams, the time-dependent behaviour of concrete may weaken the strength of the shear connection. When the concrete loses its strength, it will transfer its stresses to the structural steel through the shear studs. This behaviour will reduce the strength of the composite member. This paper presents the development of an accurate finite element model using ABAQUS to study the behaviour of shear connectors in push tests incorporating the time-dependent behaviour of concrete. The structure is modelled using three-dimensional solid elements for the structural steel beam, shear connectors, concrete slab and profiled steel sheeting. Adequate care is taken in the modelling of the concrete behaviour when creep is taken into account owing to the change in the elastic modulus with respect to time. The finite element analyses indicated that the slip ductility, the strength and the stiffness of the composite member were all reduced with respect to time. The results of this paper will prove useful in the modelling of the overall composite beam behaviour. Further experiments to validate the models presented herein will be conducted and reported at a later stage.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.239-258
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• 2012

In this paper, experimental investigations on high strength steel (HSS) stud connected steel-concrete composite (SCC) girders to understand the effect of shear connector density on their flexural behaviour is presented. SCC girder specimens were designed for three different shear capacities (100%, 85%, and 70%), by varying the number of stud connectors in the shear span. Three SCC girder specimens were tested under monotonic/quasi-static loading, while three similar girder specimens were subjected to non-reversal cyclic loading under simply supported end conditions. Details of casting the specimens, experimental set-up, and method of testing, instrumentation for the measurement of deflection, interface-slip and strain are discussed. It is found that SCC girder specimen designed for full shear capacity exhibits interface slip for loads beyond 25% of the ultimate load capacity. Specimens with lesser degree of shear connection show lower values of load at initiation of slip. Very good ductility is exhibited by all the HSS stud connected SCC girder specimens. It is observed that the ultimate moment of resistance as well as ductility gets reduced for HSS stud connected SCC girder with reduction in stud shear connector density. Efficiency factor indicating the effectiveness of high strength stud connectors in resisting interface forces is estimated to be 0.8 from the analysis. Failure mode is primarily flexure with fracturing of stud connectors and characterised by flexural cracking and crushing of concrete at top in the pure bending region. Local buckling in the top flange of steel beam was also observed at the loads near to failure, which is influenced by spacing of studs and top flange thickness of rolled steel section. One of the recommendations is that the ultimate load capacity can be limited to 1.5 times the plastic moment capacity of the section such that the post peak load reduction is kept within limits. Load-deflection behaviour for monotonic tests compared well with the envelope of load-deflection curves for cyclic tests. It is concluded from the experimental investigations that use of HSS studs will reduce their numbers for given loading, which is advantageous in case of long spans. Buckling of top flange of rolled section is observed at failure stage. Provision of lips in the top flange is suggested to avoid this buckling. This is possible in case of longer spans, where normally built-up sections are used.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.43-50
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• 2018

In this study, to investigate the shear connection material for the composite of steel plate and bottom plate, design standards and research cases for shear connectors in various countries around the world were analyzed and shear tests were performed on the Push-out specimens with a shear connection, which transmits the horizontal shear force developed on the contact surface between the steel plate and the concrete slab due to various vertical loads acting on the bridge deck. Through Push-out tests of shear studs, of which FRP bar instead reinforcement is placed, the shear stud evaluation formula of the steel strap bottom plate was suggested. The suggested equation suggested in this study has the safety factor of approximately three times compared to allowable strength of highway bridge design criteria. In addition, compared to existing DIN standards and Viest assessment equation, the results showed similar values(approximately, 5% error).

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.239-250
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• 2017

In the concept of two-parameter fatigue failure criterion, the material fatigue failure is determined by the damage degree and the current stress level. Based on this viewpoint, a residual strength degradation model for stud shear connectors under fatigue loads is proposed in this study. First, existing residual strength degradation models and test data are summarized. Next, three series of 11 push-out specimen tests according to the standard push-out test method in Eurocode-4 are performed: the static strength test, the fatigue endurance test and the residual strength test. By introducing the "two-parameter fatigue failure criterion," a residual strength calculation model after cyclic loading is derived, considering the nonlinear fatigue damage and the current stress condition. The parameters are achieved by fitting the data from this study and some literature data. Finally, through verification using several literature reports, the results show that the model can better describe the strength degradation law of stud connectors.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1001-1021
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• 2015

Ultra-lightweight cement composite (ULCC) with a compressive strength of 60 MPa and density of $1,450kg/m^3$ has been developed and used in the steel-concrete-steel (SCS) sandwich structures. This paper investigates the structural performances of SCS sandwich composite beams with ULCC as filled material. Overlapped headed shear studs were used to provide shear and tensile bond between the face plate and the lightweight core. Three-dimensional nonlinear finite element (FE) model was developed for the ultimate strength analysis of such SCS sandwich composite beams. The accuracy of the FE analysis was established by comparing the predicted results with the quasi-static tests on the SCS sandwich beams. The FE model was also applied to the nonlinear analysis on curved SCS sandwich beam and shells and the SCS sandwich beams with J-hook connectors and different concrete core including ULCC, lightweight concrete (LWC) and normal weight concrete (NWC). Validations were also carried out to check the accuracy of the FE analysis on the SCS sandwich beams with J-hook connectors and curved SCS sandwich structure. Finally, recommended FE analysis procedures were given.

• KCI Concrete Journal
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 2001

For the design of shear connection for the composite precast concrete slabs. it is necessary to investigate its strength, stiffness, slip capacity and fatigue endurance. For theme purposes, push-out tests were performed with variations of the stud shank diameter and the compressive strength of the mortar. From the experimental studies, it could be observed that the deformation of the shear studs in a full-depth precast concrete slabs were greater than those in a cast-in-place slabs. The static strength of the shear connections obtained agree approximately with those evaluated from the tensile strength of the stud shear connectors owing to the effect of the bedding layer between the slabs and the beams. An empirical equation for the initial shear stiffness of a shear connection was also proposed. On the basis of the push-out tests, a full-scale composite beams with 8.0m span was designed and fatigue tests were carried out to study the behaviour of the stud shear connection and its effects on the flexural behaviour of the beam. The bonding arid friction between the concrete slab and the steel beam considerably increased the fatigue endurance of the shear connection.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.107-123
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• 2018

The conception and experimental assessment of a removable friction-based shear connector (FBSC) for precast steel-concrete composite bridges is presented. The FBSC uses pre-tensioned high-strength steel bolts that pass through countersunk holes drilled on the top flange of the steel beam. Pre-tensioning of the bolts provides the FBSC with significant frictional resistance that essentially prevents relative slip displacement of the concrete slab with respect to the steel beam under service loading. The countersunk holes are grouted to prevent sudden slip of the FBSC when friction resistance is exceeded. Moreover, the FBSC promotes accelerated bridge construction by fully exploiting prefabrication, does not raise issues relevant to precast construction tolerances, and allows rapid bridge disassembly to drastically reduce the time needed to replace any deteriorating structural component (e.g., the bridge deck). A series of 11 push-out tests highlight why the novel structural details of the FBSC result in superior shear load-slip displacement behavior compared to welded shear studs. The paper also quantifies the effects of bolt diameter and bolt preload and presents a design equation to predict the shear resistance of the FBSC.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.303-312
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• 2007

Steel box girder bridges are being commonly designed for medium-span bridges of span length. Composite truss bridges with steel diagonals instead of concrete webs can be an excellent design alternative, because it can reduce the dead weight of superstructures. One of the key issues in the design of composite truss bridges is the joint structureconnecting the diagonal steel members with the upper and lower concrete slabs. Because the connection has to carry concentrated combined loads and the design provisions for the joint are not clear, it is necessary to investigate the load transfer mechanism and the design methods for each limit state. There are various connection details according to the types of diagonal members. In this paper, the joint structure with group stud connectors welded on a gusset plate is used. Push-out tests for the group stud connectors of were performed. The test results showed that the current design codes on the ultimate strength ofthe stud connection can be used when the required minimum spacing of stud connectors is satisfied. Flexure-shear tests were conducted to verify the applicability of the design provisions for combined load effects to the strength of joint structures. To increase the pullout strength of the connection, bent studs were proposed and utilized for the edge studs in the group arrangement of the joint. The results showed that the details of the joint structure were enhanced. Thereafter, design guidelines were proposed.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.431-446
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• 2020

This paper presents the flexural performance of double skin composite beams (DSCBs) at different Arctic low temperatures. 12 DSCBs were prepared and tested under two-point loading at different Arctic low temperatures of 20, -30, -50, and -70℃. The studied parameters include low-temperature level (T), steel-faceplate thickness (t), shear span ratio (λ), and spacing of headed studs (S). The experimental investigations under two-point loading tests showed that flexural failure occurred to all DSCBs, even including the specimen designed with the small λ ratio of 2.9. The ultimate strength behaviours of DSCBs were improved due to the improved mechanical properties of constructional materials and the confinement on shear connectors. The DSCB subjected to two-point loading and low temperatures exhibits a five-stage working mechanism. The stiffness and strength indexes of DSCBs increase linearly with temperature and t value increasing, while decreasing as shear span ratio boosts. In the contrast, the change of S value from 150 to 200 mm has little effect on the ultimate strength behavior of DSCB.