Pultruded FRP-Concrete hybrid beams: characterization of shear connection behavior through static push-out tests

This paper discusses the recent investigation into the composite action of pultruded Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) and concrete hybrid systems, under static push-out tests. The study sought to experimentally determine the characteristic load-slip behaviour of the FRP-concrete composites under varying shear stud arrangements and failures modes associated with the variations and the push-out load capacity. For the initial tests, three composite test specimens were fabricated using FRP wide flange sections mechanically connected to normal weight concrete slabs with 19mm diameter shear studs. Three different bolt configurations were used – two, three and four bolt arrangements, with the aim of determining the most optimum and efficient configuration, for subsequent studies. The observed failure modes of the composites are bearing of the bolt on the FRP plates, net tension and shearing out of the FRP plates These failure modes are different to that normally observed for conventional steel-concrete composites. The paper discusses the results and comparison to observation in the literature and to Eurocode 4.