Experimental and numerical analysis of grouped stud shear connectors embedded in HFRC

To investigate the mechanical behavior of grouped stud shear connectors embedded in hybrid fiber reinforced concrete (HFRC), nine push-out tests were performed with various parameters including the spacing and number of studs, and a refined 3D nonlinear finite element (FE) model incorporating the constitutive model of HFRC was developed using ANSYS. Firstly, the test results were discussed and used to validate the standard FE model of push out tests. Secondly, a total of 17 FE models of grouped stud-HFRC shear connectors were analyzed with various parameters including the number of studs, the fiber volume fractions of HFRC and the spacing of stud. Finally, an equation considering the contribution of steel fiber (SF) and polypropylene fiber (PF) was proposed by the regression method to estimate the capacity of a single stud for grouped stud-HFRC shear connectors according to FE analysis and test results of this paper and other researchers. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.