Ultimate Behavior of Stud Connections within Haunches: Fid-Bau Portal

Ultimate Behavior of Stud Connections within Haunches

Kim, Janghwan / Williamson, Eric B.

Mechanical fasteners are used in composite structures to physically connect steel and concrete components. Composite action is developed primarily by transferring horizontal shear forces through dowel-type connections. Welded headed studs are a conventional dowel-type product for cast-in-place construction. For this reason, the shear response of these types of fasteners has been extensively studied. In some cases, the tensile strength of a stud connection needs careful consideration, such as when evaluating the ultimate capacity of a composite bridge suffering girder damage. Observations from a detailed testing program demonstrated the importance of accurately characterizing the tensile response of a stud connection in determining when the onset of collapse will occur. In this paper, the response of a stud connection within a haunch configuration is characterized under tensile loads to provide essential data for determining the ultimate capacity of a composite bridge having steel girders and a reinforced concrete deck. Empirically derived equations to estimate the tensile strength of a stud connection and its corresponding displacement are proposed based on a data regression analysis. In addition, a method to account for strength reduction due to combined shear and tension forces is introduced using an interaction equation.