Analytical study on flexural behavior of steel composite girder using truss element for shear connectors with different types and layouts

Abstract

The key to improve the accuracy of behavior analysis of the steel composite girder lies in the reasonable modelling the intergration between the reinforced concrete slab and the steel girder. Based on design requirements and construction methods, the type and layout of the shear connectors between the concrete slab and the steel girder are different, significantly affecting the behavior of the composite girder. This study is conducted to (i) investigate the applicability of a truss element available in the popular simulation software Abaqus in modelling the shear connectors of composite girders, (ii) compare the flexural behavior of composite girders with different types and layouts of shear connectors. Two types of shear connectors considered in the study are headed studs and perfobond strips, and their layout corresponds to the construction methods using the cast-in-place and precast concrete slabs. The study results show that a truss element can be used to simulate the shear connector behavior through reasonable assignment of its shear force-slip relationship. With the design principle that the total shear capacity of the shear connector per unit length remains constant, the nonlinear behavior of the composite girder is significantly affected by the type and layout of the shear connectors.