Structural behavior of continuous shear connectors in thin UHPC-panels under shear and transverse loading

Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) is a high-tech material allowing the production of extreme thin but high-strength elements. The application of UHPC for common concrete elements, e.g. wall panels and beams, will reduce the thickness and thus the element weight significantly. Manufacturing of such UHPC-elements will predominantly take place in factories. Consequently, joining techniques for precast UHPC-components have to be developed. For a maximum of sustainability the connection should offer a simple possibility to assemble, disassemble, recycle or re-assemble UHPC-elements. With continuous shear connectors a coupling of thin precast UHPC-panels to other structural members on site by means of welding is possible. Contradictory to other connection techniques for precast elements continuous shear connectors, which are also known as composite dowels, can be disconnected without difficulty. Experimental investigations have been carried out at the Chair of Concrete and Masonry Structures of the Technische Universität München (TUM) to determine the structural behavior of composite dowels with a clothoidal shape subjected to shear forces resulting from in-plane stresses. In addition, experiments have been conducted to study the load-bearing capacity and structural behavior of composite dowels in thin UHPC-Panels under transverse loading. The results confirmed that composite dowels can be used to connect thin UHPC-panels, since they possess the required ductility and a high load bearing capacity at the same time.