18th IABSE Congress, Seoul, 2012

Innovative Infrastructures - Toward Human Urbanism

STATISTICAL CALIBRATION OF
SAFETY FACTORS FOR HEADED
STUD SHEAR CONNECTORS IN
COMPOSITE CONSTRUCTION
Stephen Hicks, Audsley Jones
*Heavy Engineering Research Association, New
Zealand

Safety Factors for Headed Stud Connectors

 18th IABSE Congress, Seoul, 2012
Innovative Infrastructures - Toward Human Urbanism

Standard push test

P 180 180 180

Cover 15
35

150
150

250 150

150
P Rk

250 100

Load per stud P (kN)

35

30 recess
150 260 150 200 200 200 optional

Bedded in mortar or gypsum

Reinforcememt:
Ribbed bars 10 mm Ø
resulting in a high bond u
with 450 f 500 
sk N/mm² Slip  (mm)
100 600 Steel section:
HE 260 B or
254 x 254 x 89 UC
uk = 6 mm

Safety Factors for Headed Stud Connectors

 18th IABSE Congress, Seoul, 2012
Innovative Infrastructures - Toward Human Urbanism

Resistance of headed stud connectors

1
𝑃𝑅𝑑 = 𝑐1 𝐴𝑠𝑐 𝑓𝑢 [stud failure]
𝛾𝑀
1
𝑃𝑅𝑑 = 𝑐2 𝐴𝑠𝑐 𝑓𝑐𝑘 𝐸𝑐𝑚 [concrete crushing]
𝛾𝑀
where c1 and c2 are calibration factors based on the analysis of test results, Asc is
the cross-sectional area of the shank of the stud and fu is the ultimate tensile
strength of the shear connector material, fck is the characteristic compressive
concrete strength and Ecm is the secant modulus of elasticity of the concrete.

EN 1994-1-1 & AS 5100.6 & ANSI/AISC 360-10

EN 1994-2 (Eurocode 4) AS 2327.1
c1 0,80 0,63 1,00
c2 0,37 0,39 0,50
ℎ𝑠𝑐 ℎ𝑠𝑐 ℎ𝑠𝑐
𝛼 = 0,2 + 1 for 3 ≤ ≤ 4; for 𝛼 = 1,00 for >4
𝑑 𝑑 𝑑

Safety Factors for Headed Stud Connectors

 18th IABSE Congress, Seoul, 2012
Innovative Infrastructures - Toward Human Urbanism

Motive for study

• In the development of Eurocode 4, the two key studies that consi
dered the performance of the equations for stud resistance were
undertaken by Roik et al. (1989) and later Stark & van Hove
(1991)
• By removing suspect push test data, the Eurocode 4 equations ar
e based on reliability analyses of 75 results.
• The present study was undertaken following the request by Stand
ards New Zealand to revise the Australian steel and composite bri
dge design Standard AS 5100.6 as a joint AS/NZS document.
• The present authors expanded the sample size in this investigatio
n to include 82 results from a variety of international sources

Safety Factors for Headed Stud Connectors

 18th IABSE Congress, Seoul, 2012
Innovative Infrastructures - Toward Human Urbanism

Comparison of experimental data

with theoretical model
The data that is considered is the correction factor:
𝑏𝑖 = 𝑟𝑒𝑖 Τ𝑟𝑡𝑖
where rei is the experimental resistance for specimen i and rti is the theoretical
resistance predicted from the design model using a set of mean measured basic
variables that are included in a report from a laboratory test on specimen i.

𝑟𝑚 = 𝑏𝑔𝑟𝑡 𝑋𝑚 𝛿 = 𝑏𝑐1 𝐴𝑠𝑐𝑚 𝑓𝑢𝑚 δ or 𝑏𝑐2 𝐴𝑠𝑐𝑚 𝑓𝑐𝑚 𝐸𝑐𝑚 𝛿

where b is the mean correction factor from a least-squares fit line through rei and rti
and  is the error term

For a normal distribution 𝑟𝑘 = 𝑟𝑚 1 − 𝑘𝑛 𝑉𝑋 𝑟𝑑 = 𝑟𝑚 1 − 𝑘𝑑,𝑛 𝑉𝑋

𝛾𝑀 = 𝑟𝑘 Τ𝑟𝑑

Safety Factors for Headed Stud Connectors

 18th IABSE Congress, Seoul, 2012
Innovative Infrastructures - Toward Human Urbanism

bi vs. stud height to diameter ratio

for concrete failure acc. to EC4

ℎ𝑠𝑐 ℎ𝑠𝑐
𝛼 = 0,2 + 1 for 3 ≤ ≤4
𝑑 𝑑
for
ℎ
𝛼 = 1,00 for 𝑠𝑐 > 4
𝑑

Safety Factors for Headed Stud Connectors

 18th IABSE Congress, Seoul, 2012
Innovative Infrastructures - Toward Human Urbanism

Evaluation of partial safety factor M

If the coefficient of variation of the population is known, the fractile factor is
calculated from k n = −u p (1 n + 1) , where up is the p fractile of the standardised
12

normal distribution and n is the size of the population.

If the coefficient of variation of the population is unknown, the fractile factor is

calculated from k n = −t p (1 n + 1)1 2 , where tp is the p fractile of a Student t-
distribution (with v = n – 1 degrees of freedom) and n is the size of the
population.

For a target reliability index  = 3,8 and, for a dominant resistance, the FORM
factor R = 0,8.Aaccording to EN1990, the design value for resistance
corresponds to the product R = 0,8 × 3,8 = 3,04 (equivalent to a probability of
the actual resistance falling below the design resistance of 1 in 845 = 0,0012).

The characteristic value is based on a probability of 0,05.

Safety Factors for Headed Stud Connectors

 18th IABSE Congress, Seoul, 2012
Innovative Infrastructures - Toward Human Urbanism

Evaluation of partial safety factor M

For the design fractile factor kd,n as n → , kd, = R = 3,04
For the characteristic fractile factor kn as n → , kn, = 1,64

If log-normal distribution is taken (which is desirable as it falls to zero at the

origin, so there are no negative resistances)
rk = bg rt ( X m )exp (− k rt Qrt − kn Q − 0,5Q2 )
rd = bg rt ( X m ) exp (− k d , rt Qrt − k d ,n  Q − 0,5Q 2 )

where rt and is the weighting factor for Qrt, Qrt is a coefficient for variation of the
variables in the resistance function,  is the weighting factor for Q, Q is a
coefficient for variation of the error term  and Q is a coefficient for variation of
the resistance.
𝑟
Corrected partial factor 𝛾 ∗ 𝑀 = 𝑘𝑐 𝛾𝑀 = 𝑘𝑐 𝑟𝑘
𝑑
where rn is the nominal resistance evaluated from the theoretical resistance
equation using nominal values for the basic variables and kc = rn / rk
Safety Factors for Headed Stud Connectors
 18th IABSE Congress, Seoul, 2012
Innovative Infrastructures - Toward Human Urbanism

Coefficients of variation for the

basic variables
Coefficient of va Eurocode 4 AS2327.1 & AS 51 NZS 3404.1
riation 00.6
Vd = 0,4/(1,64 dm) = 0,34/(1,64 dm)
Vfc = 8/(1,64 fcm) = 10.9% = 10.4%

VEc = 3 Vfc/ 10 = Vfc/ 2 = 3.71%

Vfu = 4%

Vrt = V fu + 4Vd
2 2

VARg rt ( X )
2 2
1 j
 g rt  j
 g rt i 
V =
2
rt
g rt2 ( X m )
   
g rt2 ( X m ) i =1  X i 
i
 =  
 X g ( X )  1
i =1  m  Vrt = 16Vd + V fc + VEc
2 2 2
i rt
2

Safety Factors for Headed Stud Connectors

 18th IABSE Congress, Seoul, 2012
Innovative Infrastructures - Toward Human Urbanism

Performance of current Standards

Eurocode 4 AS 5100.6 & NZS 3404.1
AS 2327.1
stud concrete stud concrete stud concrete
n 27 55 27 55 19 63
re 151,45 110,81 151,45 110,81 150,24 116,34
rt 119,44 88,54 119,76 94,65 120,87 104,78
 0,798 0,798 0,798 0,798 0,365 0,777
b 1,258 1,230 1,254 1,151 1,226 1,101
Vrt 0,0725 0,0929 0,0705 0,0648 0,0502 0,0593
V 0,1002 0,1333 0,1002 0,1333 0,1496 0,1370
Vr 0,1237 0,1625 0,1225 0,1482 0,1578 0,1483
*M 1,26 1,23 1,26 1,24 1,39 1,40

Safety Factors for Headed Stud Connectors

 18th IABSE Congress, Seoul, 2012
Innovative Infrastructures - Toward Human Urbanism

Proposed revisions to Eurocode 4

Design shear resistance of a headed stud automatically welded in accordance
with EN 14555, with an installed height of 65 mm  h  95 mm, should be
determined from the smaller of:
0 ,79 f u  d 2 4 0 ,29 d 2 f ck E cm
PRd = PRd =
V V
where d is the diameter of the stud, 16 mm  d  25 mm; fu is the specified
ultimate tensile strength of the material of the stud, 430 MPa  fu  560 MPa; fck is
the characteristic cylinder compressive strength of the concrete at the age
considered, of density not less than 2200 kg/m³, 8 MPa  fck  32 MPa; Ecm is the
secant modulus of elasticity of concrete from EN 1992-1-1; and V is the partial
factor with a recommended value of 1,25

Safety Factors for Headed Stud Connectors

 18th IABSE Congress, Seoul, 2012
Innovative Infrastructures - Toward Human Urbanism

Proposed revisions to AS5100.6,

AS2327.1 and NZS 3404.1
Characteristic shear capacity of either an automatically welded or manually
welded headed stud, with an installed height of 65 mm  h  95 mm, shall be the
smaller of: f = 0,62d f f = 0,31d f E
2 2
ks bs uc ks bs cy c

where dbs is the nominal shank diameter of a shear stud, 16 mm  dbs  25 mm;
fuc is the ultimate tensile strength of the shear connector, 430 MPa  fuc  560
MPa; f’cy is the characteristic strength of the concrete at the age being
considered, but not greater than f’c of density not less than 2200 kg/m³, 16 MPa 
f’cy  32 MPa; and Ec is the modulus of elasticity for concrete at the age being
considered, and may be taken to be 5050 f cy

The total design longitudinal shear force per unit length at the ultimate limit state
should satisfy v L *  nf ks
where  is the capacity reduction factor with a value of 0,80, n is the number of
shear connectors per unit length
Safety Factors for Headed Stud Connectors
 18th IABSE Congress, Seoul, 2012
Innovative Infrastructures - Toward Human Urbanism

Performance of proposed equations

Eurocode 4 AS 5100.6 &
AS 2327.1
stud concrete stud concrete
n 27 55 27 55
re 151,45 110,81 151,45 110,81
rt 117,95 88,54 117,86 94,65
 0,798 0,798 0,798 0,798
b 1,273 1,230 1,274 1,151
Vrt 0,0725 0,0929 0,0705 0,0648
V 0,1002 0,1333 0,1002 0,1333
Vr 0,1237 0,1625 0,1225 0,1482
*M 1,24 1,23 1,24 1,24

Safety Factors for Headed Stud Connectors

 18th IABSE Congress, Seoul, 2012
Innovative Infrastructures - Toward Human Urbanism

Conclusions
• An evaluation of partial safety factors for the resistance of headed stud shear
connectors embedded in solid concrete slabs and encasement has been
conducted
• Analyses of 82 push tests undertaken using the EN 1990 methodology to
estimate performance of Eurocode 4, AS 2327.1, AS 5100.6 and NZS 3404.1.
• The target reliability index was taken as 3,04 for all cases. The validity of the
results is limited by the scope of the available data as follows
• The coefficients of variation of the basic variables were taken from product Standards and the
JCSS Probabilistic Model Code, as opposed to directly from surveys of the variabilities found in
practice.
• The range of the measured basic variables contained within the test data are as follows: 70 mm ≤
hscm ≤ 100 mm; 16 mm ≤ dm ≤ 25 mm; 460 MPa ≤ fum ≤ 600 MPa; and 16 MPa ≤ fcm ≤ 40 MPa.
• In response to the slight unconservatism in Eurocode 4 and AS 5100.6/AS
2327.1 design equations for stud failure, revised design equations have been
proposed.
• Design equations within NZS 3404.1 should be revised and, in the interests of
harmonisation, it is proposed that AS 5100.6/AS 2327.1 equations should be
adopted.

Safety Factors for Headed Stud Connectors