Shear Connectors

J Y Richard Liew
Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
National University of Singapore

Welding of Studs

Partial and Full Composite

STUDS

Shear connectors

Basic forms of connectors

Stud connector

T connector

Angle connector

Hoop block connector

5

Other shear connectors

Concrete grade C30, fcu = 30N/mm2

Youngs modulus, Ec = 450fcu

BS5400-5: 2005: Figure 1 & Table1

150
200

102

Bar with hoop

25 x 25 x 200mm bar
Pk = 415kN

Channels
102 x 51 x 10.42kg/m channel 150mm long
Pk = 337kN

95

Headed studs
19 x 100mm
Pk = 100kN x 2 = 200kN

Shear connectors

>7mm

Ductile connector

Non ductile connector

Shear connectors

Deformation of flexible connectors

Slip

Crushed concrete

Profiled steel decking

Site welding of headed

shear connectors

10

bending 30 degree from vertical to-and-fro until failure

11

Shear connection in composite structures

Interfacial shear resistance is important between

concrete and steel sections to ensure composite
sections.

Shear connectors are used to transmit forces

between concrete and steel sections.

Shear connectors should be strong enough to resist

high shear forces, stiff enough to limit relative
slippage without fracture, i.e. ductility.

12

Shear connectors
Headed Studs
Welded to the steel section, either directly or
through profiled steel sheets.

1.5 d
0.4
d

Need to resist any uplift component of the

forces applied to the studs.
Ultimate tensile strength, fu = 450 N/mm2
Elongation (on a gauge length of Ao) = 15%
where fu = ultimate strength of the stud material, and
Ao =original cross section area.

Typical dimensions
d ranges from 16 to 25 mm
headed shear studs with d = 19 mm and hsc = 100mm are most
commonly used.
minimum diameter and the minimum depth of the head of a headed
stud shall be 1.5 d and 0.4 d respectively.

13

Dimensional details of headed shear studs

Spacing
Maximum longitudinal spacing lesser of 800 mm or 6Ds
(Clause 6.6.5.5(3) )
Minimum spacing (clause 6.6)
5d along the beam
4d between adjacent studs
3d between staggered studs
Edge distance

20
mm
min.

50 mm min.
45

Diameter

Unless located directly over the web, nominal diameter of a

stud 2.5 times the thickness of the flange to which it is welded

14

Dimensional details of headed shear studs

Use d = 19 mm for illustration

max. spacing =800mm or

6Ds (slab depth) typically = 6 x 125 = 750 mm
edge distance > 20 mm
min. spacing = 5d = 95 mm along the beam
= 4d = 76 mm between adjacent studs

> 4d
> 20

> 20

> 4d

> 20
B

> 20
> 5d
Staggered arrangement may be used.

B
15

Possible arrangement of headed shear stud

in composite slab with profiled steel decking
- Secondary composite beam

One stud
per trough

Two studs
per trough

One stud per

other trough

16

Possible arrangement of headed shear stud

in composite slab with profiled steel decking
- Primary composite beam

One stud
per trough

Two studs
per trough

17

Push-out tests on headed shear studs

F

18

Load-slippage curves of headed shear

studs
F
s

Typical
Shear force, Fs

Fs
Not more than
20% decrease
0.5Fs

0.5 mm

6 mm
Slippage, S

7 mm
19

Design resistance of studs (6.6.3.1)

The design resistance of headed shear studs, PRd , is the smaller
of
For failure of stud

hsc

d
For failure of concrete

d =

diameter of headed shear studs, 16 mm d 25 mm

=
=

for
1

for

4
>4

fu = ultimate tensile strength of the steel (< 500N/mm2)

fck and Ecm are the cylinder strength and mean secant modulus of the concrete
v = 1.25 is the partial factor for connector

20

Properties of Concrete
Properties of
concrete

Strength class of concrete

C20/25

C25/30

C30/37

C35/45

C40/50

C50/60

C60/75

fck

20

25

30

35

40

50

60

fcu

25

30

37

45

50

60

75

fct

2,2

2,6

2,9

3.2

3,5

4.1

4.4

Ecm

29

30.5

32

33,5

35

37

39

Note: All values in N/mm2, except elastic modulus Ec which is in kN/mm2.

The use of lightweight concrete is permitted by BS EN 1994-1-1 for strength grades LC20/22
to LC60/66. The elastic modulus of lightweight concrete is assumed to vary as (/2400)2,
where is the dry density in kg/m3.
fck = characteristic cylinder strength
fcu = characteristic cube strength
fct = tensile strength
Ecm = Secant modulus of concrete
Design strength of concrete

c =1.5 is the partial factor for concrete

21

Design resistances PRd (kN) of common stud shear connectors

to BS EN 1994-1-1
Concrete strength (N/mm2)
Stud diameter and height
(mm)

C20/25

C25/30

C30/37

C35/45

19 mm dia 100 mm

63

73

81

81

22 mm dia 100 mm

85

98

108

108

16 mm dia 75 mm

45

52

57

57

Design resistance = Characteristic resistance/1.25

For concrete grade greater than C35/45, the failure is governed by stud failure

Design resistance of headed shear studs

in solid concrete slab

Forces acting in a headed shear stud

embedded in a solid concrete slab

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Design resistance of headed shear studs

in composite slabs
The design resistance of headed shear studs in solid slab
PRd should be reduced by a reduction factor k to allow for
strength reduction due to the presence of profiled steel
decking.

Forces acting in a headed shear stud

embedded in a composite slab
using profiled steel decking
24

Deck reduction factor, kr

Design shear resistance is taken as the resistance in a solid slab multiplied by the
reduction factor kr
Ribs perpendicular to beam

nr = number of stud connectors in one rib 2

hp 85 mm; b0 >hp

diameter of the studs 20mm

Upper limits on reduction factor, kt,max in SS EN 1994-1-1 Table 6.2

Number of stud
connectors per rib

Thickness of steel
used in profiled
decking
(mm)

Studs not exceeding

20 mm in diameter
and welded through
profiled decking

Profiled decking
with holes and
studs 19 mm or
22 mm in diameter

nr = 1

>

1.0
1.0

0.85
1.0

0.75
0.75

nr = 2

>

1.0
1.0

0.70
0.80

0.60
0.60

25

Deck reduction factor

Ribs parallel to beam

hsc =overall height of the stud not greater than hp + 75 mm.

In most modern deckings with wide troughs, kr

is equal to 1.0.

Effect of central
stiffeners in profiled
steel decking
Presence of large concrete
block to resist force effectively
Insufficient concrete to
resist force effectively

Beneficial side for shear connectors

depends on the direction of force relative to
the position of central stiffeners in the
trough, and such effect is reflected in the
value of the shape factor, k.

27

No. of Shear Connectors for Full

Composite
Provided that individual connectors
possess sufficient ductility, the shear
connection as a whole may be
designed assuming all those in a
shear span fail as a group

Number of studs for full composite

action
ns = min (Rs or Rc) /( kr PRd)
28

Connector design

Number of studs to be distributed uniformly

between maximum bending moment and zero
moment (between AB or BC)

29

Summary on Shear Stud Design

Shear Stud design capacity: kr PRd
For concrete slab kr = 1.0
Number of studs ns = min (Rs or Rc) /( kr PRd)
to be distributed between max moment to zero
moment
Check dimension detailing

30

Shear connectors
Structural performance
Strength calculation:
Full shear connection vs. partial shear connection
Deflection calculation:
Rigid shear connectors vs. flexible shear connectors

31

Moment resistance at full shear connection

beff

hp

Rigid shear connector

Rc

hs

h
Rs
Strain diagram

Force diagram

Provide enough shear connectors so that:

Rq Rc or Rs ; full resistance of concrete slab or steel section to be
mobilized.
Moment equilibrium: Mc
smaller

Rs x h or Rc x h

whichever is

32

Partial shear connection

degree of shear connection = = Rq/ min (Rc or Rs) = n/nf

n = number of connectors provided
nf = number required for full connection

Partial Interaction

Partial interaction allowed for

ductile

connectors
class 1 or 2 sections

Stud connectors defined as ductile if:

length

not less than 4x diameter

12mm < diameter < 25mm
Degree of shear connection, = n/nf is
greater than prescribed limits
34

Moment resistance at partial shear

connection
beff

hp

Rigid shear connector

Rq

hs

h
Rq
Strain diagram

Force diagram

Few shear connectors provided:

Rq < Rc or Rs ; neither full resistances of concrete slab and steel section to
be mobilized.
Moment equilibrium: Mc

Rq x h ; Resistance of shear connectors controls

35

(PNA in steel flange)

Rf=fy b tf
Moment about top of steel flange

36

Plastic moment capacity of partial composite

(PNA in web)

Take moment about the centre of steel section

Mc = Ms +Rq[ha/2+hp + hs-y/2]-Rqx/2
Substituting for x & y:

Rw =Rs 2tfbf fy

37

Moment capacity of a composite beam

with different degrees of shear connection

Design methods
1) Plastic theory
2) Linear interpolation method conservative approach
38

Simplified Method
2) Linear interpolation method

MRd = Ms + (Mp,Rd Ms)

= degree of partial connection = n/nf
n = number of shear connectors provided
nf = number of connectors for full interaction
Mpl,Rd = moment capacity of full composite section
Mas = moment capacity of steel beam alone

39

Partial Interaction - minimum shear

connection

For steel sections with equal flanges

Lc<25m

> 1-(355/fy)(0.75-0.03Lc) 0.4

Lc 25m 1
Lc = distance between points of zero moment (m)
nf = number of connectors for full shear connection
n = number of shear connectors provided

For steel sections with unequal steel flanges, see 6.6.1.2(2)

40

Graph of MRd vs number of connectors

41

Example 3 Continue from example 1 to design

shear connectors
beff
130

hs =70
hp = 60mm

254

S275 Steel Section 254x102x22 UB (Class 1)

C25/30 Concrete fck = 25 N/mm2
Maximum BM ULS composite stage
My,Ed = 122 kNm

Full composite beam section capacity Mpl,Rd = 184 kNm

Compression resistance of concrete slab is determined from
Rc = hc beff (0.85fcd)
where hc = depth of the concrete slab above the decking = 70mm
Rc = 70x1500x0.85x16.7/1000 = 1490kN
Tensile resistance of steel section
Rs = Aafy= 275x28x102x 10-3/1.0 = 770 kN

Try 19mm shear stud, h = 95mm, =1

For metal decking (0.9mm) perpendicular to beam,

assume bo = 300mm; h=hsc = 100mm; hp = 60mm; Nr=2
(two studs per trough)
but not more than 0.85

No. of connector per half span to achieve full composite

= (770/62) = 12.4
Centre line to centre line span of 3m should be reduced to allow for the
primary beam or the column width (assume 254mm)
n= (3000-154/2)/300
=9
Provide 2 connectors at spacing of 300mm
Total connectors per half span = 18
Alternately use one connector per trough and check for partial composite
43

Example 3 (cont): Design for partial

composite
Check whether one stud per trough is adequate?
Stud spacing along beam = 300mm
Centre to centre span of 3m should be reduced to allow for the primary beam width or the
column width (assume 254mm)
Centre Line
n = (3000-254/2)/300 = 9 studs per half span
Degree of shear connection
Total resistance of 9 shear connectors
Rq = 9 x 62 = 558 kN
= Rq / Ns = 558/770 = 0.724 < 1.0
Degree of partial connection is less than 1.0, the minimum shear connection requirement
must be checked, and the moment resistance decreased.
For Le 25m
1-(355/fy ) (0.75-0.03 Le);
0.4
For a simply supported beam Le is equal to the span length
1-(355/275 ) (0.75-0.03 x6) = 0.26,
0.4
Therefore the degree of shear connection must be at least 0.4. As shown above, there
are sufficient number of shear connectiors to acheive this.

44

Moment resistance with partial shear connection

Simplified Equation

MRd

= Ms + (Mp,Rd Ms)

Ms is the plastic moment resistance of the steel section

Ms = fypWpl,y = 275 x 259 x 10-3 = 71.2kNm
Reduced moment capacity due to partial composite
MRd = 71.3 +0.724(184-71.2)=153kNm
which is greater than the bending moment at mid span My,Ed = 122 kNm
More Exact Equation
tf = 6.8 ; bf = 101.6; ha = 254; tw=5.7; Aa=28cm2
Metal profile height hp = 60mm, effective slab thickness hs = 70mm
hw = 254-2x6.8=240.4mm
Rw =hwtw fy =240.4x5.7x0.275= 377kN
Rq = 62 x 9 = 558kN
Rq > Rw PNA in the steel flange

45

Rs = 770 kN

Rw = 377kN
Rq = 558kN

Rc = 1490kN

Rf=0.275x101.6x6.8=190kN

tf = 6.8 ; bf = 101.6; ha = 254; tw=5.7; Aa=28cm2

Metal profile height hp = 60mm, effective slab thickness hs = 70mm

=97.79+65.23 -4.02
159 kNm
Compared to simplified method which gives153 kNm

46

Checks Connectors at Other Locations

ni = np (Mi-Ms) / (Mc-Ms)
ni = number of shear connectors between the intermediate load point and the
adjacent support.
np = number of shear connectors provided.
Mi = moment at the intermediate point i.
Ms = moment capacity of the steel section.
Mc = moment capacity of the composite section
N2 N1

N1

N3 =0

N2 N1

N1

N2
N1

Ms

N2 N1
M1

M2

47

Example 4: Distribution of shear connectors

Moment capacity of steel section Ms = 278 kNm

Moment capacity of full composite section Mc = 612 kNm
No. of connectors from zero to max. moment, Np = 38

Simplified method
Ni = Np (Mi-Ms) / (Mc-Ms)
= 38(410-278)/(612-278)
= 15
N2 = 38
15

N1

23

35-15 = 23
M1 = 410

N2

15

M2 = 565

48

Homework

Beam

3.0m

Design data:
S355 Partially Encased Universal Beams
3.0m
Span = 12.0m
Spacing of steel beams = 3.0m
Concrete slab depth = 125mm
Concrete Grade = C25/30
Loading
Dead Load = 15.0kN/m
Imposed Load = 16.0KN/m
Determine the composite beam and
connectors and check ultimate strength
and serviceability deflection

12m

beff = 3m

hs

Partially encased by Grade C25/30 concrete

2 T20 bars

49

Transverse Reinforcement in
Concrete Slab

Prof. J Y Richard Liew

Department of Civil Engineering
National University of Singapore

Longitudinal Splitting

Without transverse reinforcement

51

Transverse reinforcement
Profiled Steel Sheeting

Shear connectors

Steel beam
Transverse rebars

52

Transverse reinforcement

Transverse reinforcement refers to the reinforcement in

the concrete slab running transversely to the span of the
beam.

Sufficient transverse reinforcement should be provided to

enable the concrete slab to resist the longitudinal shear
transmitted by the shear connectors, both immediately
adjacent to the shear connectors and elsewhere within
its effective breadth (beff).

When profiled steel sheets are used, they may also act
as transverse reinforcement.
53

Transverse reinforcement
Total area of transverse reinforcement per
unit length crossing potential shear failure
surface = Ae
Total length of potential failure surface = Ls
Design shear per unit length, VEd, must not
exceed shear resistance of failure surface.

54

Transverse reinforcement

55

EN1992-1-1 6.2.4 strut and tie model

Longitudinal shear stress

VEd = Fd/(hf x)
hf is the thickness of flange at the junctions
x is the length under consideration, see Figure below
Fd is the change of the normal force in the flange over the length x.

56

Forces transferred from shear

connectors

57

Transverse reinforcement
The transverse reinforcement per unit length Asf/sf may be determined as
follows:

(Asf fyd / sf) + Ape fyp,d > vEd hf / cotf

where:
Ape is the effective cross-sectional area of the profiled steel sheeting
per unit length of the beam ( to be ignored if decking is not continuous)
fyd is its design yield strength of reinforcement bar = 460N/mm2/1.15.
fyp,d is its design yield strength of metal deck profile.
(Profiled deck can be considered as equivalent reinforcement or can be
ignored for conservative design)
For compression flanges (45 f 26,5)
58

To prevent crushing of the compression struts in

the flange, the following condition should be
satisfied:
VEd < fcd sinf cosf
where
= 0.6 (1-fck/250)
fck = characteristic strength of concrete
fcd = design strength of concrete
= fck/1.5
59

Example 5: Transverse reinforcement

From example 3, the transverse reinforcement Asf may be determined as follows:
(Asf fyd / sf) + Ape fyp,d > vEd hf / cot
Assuming that the metal decking does not contribute to the transverse shear
resistance,
i.e., Ape = 0
The transverse reinforcement per unit length Asf/sf may be determined as
follows:
Asf fyd /Sf > vEd hf / fyd cot
Where hf = depth of the concrete above the metal decking, therefore
hf = hc = 70mm
fyd = 500/1.15 = 435N/mm2 = design strength of reinforcement mesh
VEd = design longitudinal shear stress in the concrete slab
To prevent crushing of the compression struts in the flange model Eurocode 2
limits the value of f to
60
45 f 26.5 and thus 1.0 cot f 2.0

The longitudinal shear stress is the stress transferred from the steel beam to the
concrete. This is determined from the minimum resistance of the steel, concrete
and shear connectors. In this example, with partial connection, the maximum
force that can be transferred is limited by the resistance of the shear connectors
over half of the span (x=3m) , and is given by Fd = Rq = 558 kN.
VEd = Fd/(hf x)

As there are two shear planes (one on each side of the beam, running
parallel to it).
The longitudinal shear stress is:

For minimum area of transverse reinforcement assume f = 26.5o

fyd = 500/1.15 = 435N/mm2
Asf /Sf > vEd hf / fyd cot
= 1.33x70/(435 x cot 26.5) x 1000
= 107 mm2/m
Use A193 mesh reinforcement with 193 mm2/m > 107 mm2/m

61

Check Crushing of Concrete Flange

VEd < fcd sinf cosf
= 0.6 (1-fck/250) = 0.6 (1-25/250) = 0.54
f = 26.5o
fcd = design compression strength of concrete
= 25/1.5 = 16.7 N/mm2
fcd sinf cosf
= 0.54x16.7 x sin (26.5o ) x cos(26.5o) = 3.59 N/mm2

Therefore concrete crushing resistance is adequate OK

62

Concluding summary

Longitudinal shear connection is based on the

force transmitted between the steel section and
concrete slab (smaller of Rc or Rs or Rq) .
If connectors are insufficient beam may be
designed as partially composite
Concrete cracking can be controlled by
appropriate slab reinforcement
Deflection limits are as stated in EC3

63