Abstract
To improve the shear behavior and design applicability of rubber ring perfobond connectors (RPBLs), a new rubber ring that aims to make the shear stiffness of RPBLs controllable was proposed. Firstly, the conceptual design and configuration of the new rubber rings were presented and discussed. Subsequently, finite element (FE) models for modified push-out tests of new RPBLs were established based on the validated modeling method. The initial shear stiffness is dominated by the horizontal projected contact area between hole walls and concrete dowels. Îł is defined as the ratio of the horizontal projected length of hollows to the diameter of holes. The shear stiffness of new RPBLs is about 35%, 60%, and 82% of the shear stiffness of PBLs when Îł equals 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75, respectively. Employing the new rubber rings with varying central angles on conventional PBLs is feasible to obtain the required stiffness for RPBLs. Further, the effects of the number of sectors, the size of side wings, the central angle of hollows, the offset angle, and the thickness of rubber rings were analysed. Based on the numerical results, the proper thickness of side wings is no larger than 2 mm. The thicker side wing could reduce the confinement effects provided by surrounding concrete on concrete dowels, resulting in a drop of the yield load of new RPBLs. The number of sectors is suggested to be no less than 6 so that the shear behavior of new RPBLs is irrelevant to the offset angle. Besides, the shear stiffness is not related to the thickness of rubber rings. To improve the yield load of RPBLs and obtain the moderate recovered stiffness, the thickness of rubber rings is recommended as 2 mm. Finally, the expression for the shear stiffness of new RPBLs was proposed.
Highlights
Perfobond connectors (PBL) are increasingly used in steelconcrete composite structures due to their excellent shear and fatigue capacity [1, 2]
Liu [10] proposed a rubber ring that can be installed on conventional PBLs and conducted modified push-out tests and refined finite element (FE) analyses to evaluate the shear behavior of the rubber ring perfobond connector (RPBL). e results showed that RPBLs presented very low initial shear stiffness, and the slip starting resisting shear forces could be controlled through the thickness of rubber rings
(2) Based on the numerical results, the proper thickness of side wings is no larger than 2 mm. e thicker side wing could reduce the confinement effects provided by surrounding concrete on concrete dowels, resulting in a drop of the yield load of new RPBLs
Summary
Perfobond connectors (PBL) are increasingly used in steelconcrete composite structures due to their excellent shear and fatigue capacity [1, 2]. It is convenient to control the contact area between steel and concrete by using rubber Based on this concept, Xu [8, 9] put forward a headed stud with rubber sleeves, which could provide lower shear stiffness for headed stud connectors. Liu [10] proposed a rubber ring that can be installed on conventional PBLs and conducted modified push-out tests and refined FE analyses to evaluate the shear behavior of the rubber ring perfobond connector (RPBL). By employing rubber rings on partial PBLs in groups, the shear distribution tends to be uniform. A new rubber ring that aims to make the shear stiffness of RPBLs controllable was proposed. E expression for the shear stiffness of new RPBLs was proposed
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