Shear Strength of Thin Flange Composite Specimens

Light gage steel is finding increasing use in load-carrying elements of structural systems. If very thin steel sections are to be used extensively in composite construction, experimental data on the behavior of the shear connector system are necessary. The purpose of this study was to explore the behavior of stud shear connector composite pushout specimens. Previous experimental studies of this composite system have been concerned with determining the behavior of the specimen when failure occurs either by pulling-out of the shear connector from the concrete or byshearing of the connector. If very thin steel flanges are used, it must be expected that failure could be controlled by pullout of the connector from the steel flange. The tests reported here examined the behavior of thin flange push-out specimens with 0.5, and 0.75 in. diameter welded stud shear connectors. The line defining the shift in failure mode from stud shear to flange pull-out is located.