Abstract
Steel-concrete joints are often made by welded shear studs. However, this connection reduces the fatigue strength, especially in situations where locally concentrated loads occur with a large number of load cycles e.g. in bridge decks. In this paper the shear bond strength between steel and ultrahigh performance concrete (UHPC) without welded mechanical shear connectors is evaluated through push-out tests and a generalized fracture mechanics approach based on analytical and finite element analyses. The connection is achieved by an epoxy adhesive layer gritted with granules. In the tests, specimens made with various manners of preparation of the epoxy interlayer are tested experimentally. Numerical-analytical 2D and 3D modelling of a steel-concrete connection is performed without and with the epoxy interlayer. The model of a bi-material notch with various geometrical and material properties is used to simulate various singular stress concentrators that can be responsible for failure initiation. Thus conditions of crack initiation can be predicted from knowledge of the standard mechanical and fracture-mechanics properties of particular materials. Results of the fracture-mechanics studies are compared with each other and with experimental results. On the basis of the comparison, the 2D simulation of the steel-concrete connection without the epoxy interlayer is shown to be suitable for the estimation of failure conditions.
Highlights
O ften, concrete and steel are combined in structural elements
In this paper the shear bond strength between steel and ultrahigh performance concrete (UHPC) without welded mechanical shear connectors is evaluated through push-out tests and a generalized fracture mechanics approach based on analytical and finite element analyses
The model of a bi-material notch with various geometrical and material properties is used to simulate various singular stress concentrators that can be responsible for failure initiation
Summary
O ften, concrete and steel are combined in structural elements. The tensile strength of steel and the compressive strength of concrete co-operate, but a good connection between both materials is required to obtain the level of structural performance. Since the 1960’s [1] adhesive bonding techniques have been tested by various authors In this way stress concentrations generated by the stud connectors are avoided and welding is unnecessary. In this paper the results of such tests, together with the influences of changes to various parameters, will be the base of a generalized fracture mechanics based analysis Such an analysis is necessary since typical push-out tests may exhibit failure at the steel to concrete, steel to adhesive or adhesive to concrete interfaces. In the first part of the paper, the generalised fracture mechanics approach and its application for this problem will be explained, in the second part, the experimental work will be addressed, where in the third part the numerical study will demonstrate the applicability of the method for assessment of the failure of a bonded steel-concrete joint
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