EVALUATION OF EFFECT OF GEOMETRIC AND MATERIAL PARAMETERS OVER THE PERFORMANCE OF STEEL-CONCRETE-STEEL SANDWICH (SCSS) STRUCTURES WITH J-HOOK CONNECTORS

Abstract

Steel-concrete-steel sandwich (SCSS) structure is a type of composite structure in which a concrete core is sandwiched in between two steel plates. SCSS structures can offer a greater amount of moment of resistance and stiffness compared to that of steel plates with same amount of steel consumption. Among the different components of an SCSS structure, shear connectors can be referred as the most crucial component contributing to the composite action. J-hook connectors are a type of novel shear connectors which can overcome the limitations faced by other shear connectors like headed studs and bi-steel connectors. In this particular study various factors affecting the load-slip behaviour and ultimate strength behaviour of SCSS structures were reviewed and tests such as mid point bending test of SCSS beam and pushout test of SCSS pushout test specimen were numerically simulated using ANSYS software. From the results, influence of variation of different parameters such as grade of concrete and steel, diameter of shear connector, core thickness, plate thickness, and spacing of shear connectors over the behaviour of SCSS structures under quasi-static loading conditions were analysed. Based on the obtained results an empirical relation for the force-slip model of SCSS structures was suggested while incorporating the important parameters.