ABSTRACT
Two series of experimental tests to study the cyclic behaviour of usual types of shear connectors in buildings and their influence on the global behaviour of beam-to-column composite joints are presented in this paper. The first series involves 30 push-pull tests to evaluate the shear resistance, the slip capacity and the low-cycle fatigue resistance of two types of shear connectors associated with solid or composite slabs. The second series of tests involves 11 full scale composite joints. Main results and their interpretation deal with moment resistance, rotational stiffness, absorbed energy and rotation capacity linked with risks of rupture by low cycle fatigue either in the bolted end plate steelwork part or in the shear connection of the beam adjacent to the joint. An equivalent static approach seems significant to evaluate the skeleton curve of the cyclic moment-rotation characteristics. From the so-interpreted results a preliminary proposal may be suggested for the seismic design of the shear connection of frame spans.
