Cyclic Behavior of Perfobond-Shear Connectors Subjected to Fully Reversed Cyclic Loading

In general, a steel beam is assembled with a concrete slab using shear connectors. Recently, perfobond-shear connectors have been attracting interest because of their high shear stiffness and strength. Nevertheless, the mechanical behavior and performance of perfobond-shear connectors under a reversed cyclic stress remain unclear. For this study, cyclic loading tests were conducted on the component model of a composite beam possessing different configurations of perfobond-shear connectors, different diameters of transversal reinforcement, and different concrete strengths. The stress transfer mechanisms among components are revealed based on experimentally obtained results. Furthermore, the applicability of earlier evaluation formulas is investigated in terms of the ultimate shear strength and the load-displacement relation. Finally, a novel evaluation equation is proposed for perfobond-shear connectors subjected to fully reversed cyclic stress, reflecting the mechanical interrelation between the dowel plate and the concrete inside of the rib hole.