Post-installed shear connectors: Fatigue push-out tests of coiled spring pins

The number of heavy vehicles and their weight have been increasing over time, implying that many bridges are experiencing traffic loads with higher magnitude and frequency than they were originally designed for. In some cases, it will be necessary to either replace or strengthen the structures to keep the bridges in service. For existing non-composite steel girder bridges, post-installation of shear connectors can often be used to increase the traffic load capacity significantly. One type of shear connector that is suitable for post-installation, even though not commonly used, is the Coiled Spring Pin. These interference fit connectors can be installed from below the bridge deck during traffic, in order to minimize the impact on road users. This paper describes an experimental study on the fatigue strength of Coiled Spring Pins and a compilation of previously performed fatigue tests on this type of connector. The new test series, with nine specimens, are evaluated statistically and a fatigue strength design equation is proposed. The results show that there are large variations between different test series, while tests within the same series show good agreement The reasons for this are discussed in the paper along with recommendations for future testing. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.