Shear performance of high-strength friction-grip bolted shear connector in prefabricated steel–UHPC composite beams: Finite element modelling and parametric study

As a competitive alternative for accelerated bridge construction (ABC), prefabricated steel–ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) composite beams containing high-strength friction-grip bolt (HSFGB) shear connectors offer numerous advantages, including reduced on-site construction time and ease of replacing/removing deteriorated components. However, the failure mechanism of HSFGBs in UHPC remains unclear due to the lack of internal stress analysis, which hinders the design of these innovative composite beams. To clarify the shear performance of HSFGBs in prefabricated steel–UHPC composite beams, an effective finite element model (FEM) considering the non-linearities of materials and geometry was developed through ABAQUS. Based on the experimentally verified model, the internal stress transfer mechanisms of HSFGBs and the failure mechanism of precast UHPC were revealed. According to the extension parametric analysis results, a stronger HSFGB presented better shear performances in terms of ultimate shear strength, initial shear stiffness and slip capacity. Adopting oversized holes with appropriate bolt-to-hole clearance can improve the constructional efficiency without considerable strength and stiffness reduction. HSFGBs with low bolt pretension exhibited unfavorable initial shear stiffness, while smaller slip capacity in high bolt pretension conditions. A smaller ductility was observed as the steel beam tensile strength and slab concrete strength increased. Additionally, the ACI 318–19, Eurocode 3, and AASHTO LRFD specifications underestimated the shear strength of HSFGBs, whereas the Eurocode 4 presented acceptable predictions in determining the ultimate shear capacity of HSFGBs in prefabricated steel–UHPC composite beams.