Low-cycle fatigue test on stud shear connectors

In steel-concrete composite beams particular attention has to be paid to the fatigue phenomena in the connection. If each part of the structure behaves elastically the problem can be faced with the classical load-life fatigue approach, but for long-span beams, the slip at interface may reach values that involve inelastic deformation of the connector. In this case the failure of some connectors for fatigue with a low number of cycles may occur. Due to shear load redistribution along the connection the load-life approach has to be substituted with a strain-life approach. The slip history of each connector beyond the elastic range depends on the behavior of the whole structure. The life to failure of the connector for low-cycle fatigue was experimentally determined using a particular direct shear test. Eight tests were performed for different values of slip amplitude and for a given slip history. The life to failure domain is presented.