Finite Element Modeling on Shear Performance of Grouted Stud Connectors for Steel-Timber Composite Beams

Steel-timber composite (STC) systems are considered as an environmentally friendly alternative to steel-concrete composite (SCC) structures due to its advantages including high strength-to-weight ratio, lower carbon footprint, and fully dry construction. Bolts and screws are the most commonly used connectors in STC system; however, they probably make great demands on the accuracy of construction because of the predrilling in both the timber slabs and steel girder fangles. To address this issue, the STC connections with grouted stud connectors (GSC) were proposed in this paper. In addition, stud connectors can also provide outstanding stiffness and load-bearing capacity. The mechanical characteristic of the GSC connections was exploratorily investigated by finite element (FE) modeling. The designed parameters for the FE models include stud diameter, stud strength, angle of outer layer of cross-laminated timber (CLT) panel, tapered groove configurations, and thickness of CLT panel. The numerical results indicated that the shear capacity and stiffness of the GSC connections were mainly influenced by stud diameter, stud strength, angle of outer layer of CLT panel, and the angle of the tapered grooves. Moreover, the FE simulated shear capacity of the GSC connections were compared with the results predicted by the available calculation formulas in design codes and literatures. Finally, the group effect of the GSC connections with multiple rows of studs was discussed based on the numerical results and parametric analyses. An effective row number of studs was proposed to characterize the group effect of the GSC connections.

Automated summary

This study proposes the use of grouted stud connectors (GSC) in steel-timber composite (STC) systems and explores their mechanical characteristics through finite element modeling. The results show that stud diameter, angle, and strength have significant influences on the shear capacity and stiffness of GSC connections. Additionally, a comparison is made between the finite element simulated results and predictions from design codes and literature. The study also discusses the group effect of GSC connections with multiple rows of studs and proposes an effective row number to characterize this effect.