DIAPHRAGM SHEAR CONNECTORS BETWEEN FLANGES OF PRESTRESSED CONCRETE T-BEAMS

TWO SPECIFIC TYPES OF CONNECTORS USED TO DEVELOP DIAPHRAGM ACTION BETWEEN FLANGES OF SINGLE- AND DOUBLE-TEES IN FLOORS AND ROOFS OF BUILDINGS WERE TESTED AND ANALYZED. THE SPECIMENS CONSISTED OF 2- AND 2 1/2-IN. SLABS OF LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE WITH EMBEDDED REINFORCING BARS TO FORM THE CONNECTION. COMPARISON OF ULTIMATE LOADS INDICATES THAT CHANGING THE ANGLE OF THE EMBEDDMENT BARS HAS LITTLE EFFECT ON THE STRENGTH OF THE SHEAR CONNECTOR. FOR SPECIMENS WITH TOPPING, THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE SHEAR STRENGTH IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE SHEARING CAPACITY OF THE TOPPING. /PCIJ/