Experimental Study on Impact Behavior of Stud Shear Connectors between Concrete Slab and Steel Beam

Abstract

This paper deals with the shear behavior of steel stud connectors between a concrete slab and steel beam under static and impact loading. An experimental program involving four static and nine impact pushout tests was designed and carried out according to the descriptions in related specification. The failure modes and the time history of impact load and slippage displacement as well as the shear strength of stud connectors are presented and investigated. It is found from static tests that the shear capacity of stud connectors reasonably met the corresponding requirements in a related specification, while the dynamic shear capacities of the connectors were improved by 33–63% compared with the static results. Based on the dynamic responses, the shear mechanism of the steel stud shear connectors under impact loading is also examined, and the failure process can be divided into three typical stages. Furthermore, based on the equations given in some existing guidelines, a design proposal is developed to accurately predict the shear capacity of stud connectors under impact loading, where the strain-rate effect is considered according to the recommendations given in a published report for the concrete strength and in a published journal paper for the steel strength under impact loading. The testing results can provide essential data for future analytical and design-oriented study of composite beam with shear stud connectors under extreme loading conditions.