Experimental study on the behaviour of composite steel-concrete beams utilising innovative blind bolts

This paper presents the feasibility of providing shear connection utilising innovative blind bolts. The main reason for using blind bolts is to promote structural rehabilitation of both existing structures and new construction to create a demountable structure which can be deconstructed at the end of its service life rather than being expensively demolished. Three composite beams and non-composite beam specimens were tested. One composite beam used conventional shear studs to achieve composite action and the other two composite beams used two different bolting systems. A control slab was used as a baseline to compare the maximum capacities, deflections and stresses between composite and non-composite action. These blind bolts showed significantly higher fatigue strength than conventional welded shear studs. The strength capacities of these blind bolts enable the strengthening and retrofitting of existing composite concrete and steel bridge girders