Methods to Develop Composite Action in Non-Composite Bridge Floor Systems: Fatigue Behavior of Post-Installed Shear Connectors

This thesis is a continuation of the work reported by Schaap (2004) and Hungerford (2004) as a part of TxDOT Project 0-4124. TxDOT Project 0-4124 aims to investigate structurally efficient, cost-effective, and practical ways to post-install shear connectors to increase the load carrying capacity of bridges originally designed as non-composite. Using a direct-shear test setup, the structural effectiveness of alternative post-installed shear connectors was evaluated through cyclic tests. Additional tests were conducted to examine the load-slip behavior of these post- installed shear connectors under monotonically increasing shear loads. The installation processes of each shear connection method were also evaluated and their feasibility in a field application was determined.

This thesis presents results from 8 static tests, 20 high-cycle fatigue tests, and 10 low-cycle fatigue tests, conducted on post- installed shear connectors and the cast- in-place welded shear stud. Two post-installed shear connectors were determined to be structurally efficient and constructible and are recommended to be further tested in full-scale beam tests.