Experimental Investigation of Steel Confinement of Clustered Large-Size Stud Shear Connector in Full-Depth Precast Bridge Deck Panel

Abstract

The research focuses on investigating different types of steel confinements around a clustered large-size stud shear connector using in full-depth precast concrete bridge deck panel. The tests were based on Push-off test of two main groups of specimens: (1) the specimens with 4-stud shear connector where three different types of confinement were adopted including of O-ring confinement, Wire-mesh confinement, and L-angle confinement), and (2) the specimens with 8-stud shear connector where two different types of confinement were investigated including of Plate-ring confinement and L-angle confinement. The test results concluded that L-angle confinement type of the group of specimens with 4-Stud is the most sufficient type comparing between the different types of confinement in the same group. The maximum resistance was found at 41-ton, while as the displacement was found to be the most expansible and gradually reduced until the failure point. This means that the sign of failure can be noticeable prior to a collapse of the structure. For the group of specimens with 8-Stud, the resistance of this group was higher than the group of specimens with 4-Stud about 50 - 100% increase depending on each type of confinement. The maximum resistance was found for Plate-ring confinement type at 70-ton, which was agreed with the increment of the displacement about 20 - 50%. In comparison between specimens with 8-Stud, the Plate-ring confinement showed greater resistance and more relative displacement about 15% than the L-angle confinement.