Splitting Induced by Shear Connectors in Composite Beams

Abstract

The longitudinal shear flow in composite steel and concrete beams is transferred across the steel‐flange/concrete‐slab interface at a discrete number of points by the dowel action of individual connectors. The dispersal of these concentrated loads into the concrete slab induces lateral tensile forces in the slab, which may cause the slab to split and lead to a loss of interaction and of shear strength. An analysis of 50 reinforced and unreinforced push‐out tests that failed by splitting, and finite element model studies of the shear flow in composite beams, have led to a method of predicting the occurrence of splitting due to the local action of individual connectors and the global action of groups of connectors. It has been found that transverse reinforcement does not prevent splitting but limits the extent of the split and hence limits the loss of interaction and shear connection.