Behaviour of blind bolt shear connectors subjected to static and fatigue loading

This paper focusses on the performance of bolted shear connectors embedded in concrete slab when subjected to static and fatigue loading. The static and fatigue capacities of shear connectors between concrete slabs and steel beams are important issues, as existing composite structures experience complex loadings during their functional working life. The conventional headed stud shear connector is the most common form of shear connection in composite construction; in contrast the high strength bolts are not commonly used as shear connectors. Among different types of bolted shear connectors, the ability of blind bolt shear connectors to be attached and detached from one side of a structure resulting in faster installation and reduce the environmental cost is attractive. Therefore, in this study stiffness, ultimate strength, and ductility of blind bolt shear connector were examined through static tests. Furthermore, high-cycle fatigue tests were conducted to develop a S-N curve for the blind bolt shear connectors. In addition, failure modes of this type of shear connector were identified in detail.