Stud Shear Connectors in Composite Beams that Support Slabs with Profiled Steel Sheeting

Abstract This paper presents the results from the final phase of a major UK research programme, where an 11,4-m span composite beam and companion push tests were undertaken to investigate the load-slip performance of multiple stud connectors. The tests showed that the resistance of three studs per rib was no better than two studs per rib, thereby indicating that the design equations in BS 5950-3.1 and ANSI/AISC 360-10 were unconservative by up to 45%. As a direct result of this work, an amendment was made to BS 5950-3.1 in 2010. Although the beam tests demonstrated the ductile performance of studs in current UK-profiled steel sheeting, the problem remained that if new sheeting products were developed, it would be difficult to identify cases when the behaviour was poor unless beam tests were undertaken. In response to this problem, this paper also presents the development of an improved standard push test, which reflects the conditions that exist in a real beam more closely. As opposed to other international investigations, the improved test was calibrated directly against real beam behaviour by considering the load-slip performance of the shear connectors within the three beam tests that were undertaken in the current research programme.