Experimental and numerical studies on pullout behavior of embedded parts with studs for steel-plate concrete structures

Abstract

A new embedded part with studs for steel-plate concrete structures is proposed to meet the design requirements of nuclear facilities. To investigate the pullout behavior of the embedded parts, axial tensile tests were carried out on twenty specimens considering different parameters of the studs, the steel plates, and the steel corbels. Two failure modes were observed in the tests and the dominating one was studs fracturing. The load-displacement curves, yielding sequence of the studs and pull-out capacities were analyzed and compared. Detailed nonlinear finite element (FE) models were established and validated by comparison with the test results. Combining the experimental and numerical results, the force transfer mechanism and tensile capacity of the embedded parts with studs were investigated. Parametric analyses based on the models revealed that the shape and sectional height of the steel corbel, the thickness of the steel plate and the spacing of the studs played a key role. Finally, a calculation method was proposed to predict the tensile capacity of the embedded parts with studs for steel-plate concrete structures, and the calculation was in good agreement with the FE and test results.