Behaviour of steel-concrete composite beams using bolts as shear connectors

Abstract

The paper presents an experimental program on the application of bolts as shear connectors for steel-composite beams. Four steel- concrete composite beams and a reference steel beam were made and tested. The aim of the testing program is to examine which forms of the steel bolts can be used effectively for steel-composite beams. The four types of the bolts include: Type 1 the bolt with the nut at the end; Type 2 the bolt bending at 900 hook; Type 3 the bolt without the nut at the end and Type 4 the bolt with the nut at the end but connected with the steel beam by hand welding in other to be connected with the steel beam by bolt connection as in the first three types. The test results showed that beside the traditional shear connectors like shear studs, angle type, channel type, bolts can be used effectively as the shear connectors in steel-composite beams and the application of bolts in Types 1 and 2 in the composite beams gave the better performance for the tested beam.