The resistance of a typical shear connection with headed shear studs in a composite beam is analysed for the normal case in accordance with EN 1994-1-1. The reducing effect of a trapezoidal metal decking to the ultimate loadbearing capacity is considered with empirically derived reduction factors and equations that were developed between the late 1970s and early 1980s. The RFCS research project “DISCCO” [1] investigated the shear stud resistance with novel types of steel decking. In many cases, the shear resistance predicted by EN 1994-1-1 [2] was not reached in tests.
In the respective experiments with composite beams and deep decking, a concrete cone failure mode was identified and not a pure shear failure of the stud. This failure mode acted in combination with the loadbearing capacity of the shear stud, which formed one or two plastic hinges in the shaft depending on the actual geometry.
Based on these observations, new equations have been developed to predict the shear connection's resistance with more accuracy. The yield hinge mechanism of the shear stud, which was developed by Lungershausen [3], was extended by the aforementioned loadbearing component “concrete cone”. The formulae consider the geometry of the stud and the steel decking and the material strength of the stud and the concrete. The statistical evaluation of the equations developed demonstrates good agreement with test results.