Shear resistance of stud connectors in high strength concrete

The use of steel-concrete composite members has been significantly increased as they have the advantages of the reduction of cross sectional areas, excellent ductility against earthquake loadings and a longer life span than typical steel frame members. The increased use of composite members requires an intensive study on the shear resistance evaluation of stud connectors in high strength concrete. However, the applicability of currently available standards is limited to composite members with normal and lightweight strength concrete. In this paper, push-out tests were performed on 24 specimens to investigate the structural behavior and shear resistance of stud connectors in high strength concrete. Test parameters include the existence of shear studs, height to diameter ratio of a shear stud, its diameter and concrete cover thickness. A shear resistance equation of stud connectors is proposed through a linear regression analysis based on the test results. Its accuracy is compared with those of existing shear resistance equations for studs in normal and lightweight concrete.