Performance of Reinforced Concrete Slabs with Headed Studs

Research Objectives:

The main objective of the research program is to investigate the effect of amount and spacing of headed reinforcement on the shear capacity of slabs. The research will include a series of 24 tests of slab - column specimens and an analytical study of the test results. The tests will be conducted to failure and will determine the performance characteristics of conventional systems - and systems using headed studs. Direct comparisons will be made to determine how the performance is changed when headed studs are included.



The proposed study will include two phases. The first will investigate the use of headed reinforcement in under-reinforced slabs with the main objective of increasing the shear strength and preventing a punching shear failure. The variables to be studied during the first phase are the amount of transverse reinforcement, the distribution of transverse reinforcement, the amount of flexural reinforcement, and the thickness of the slab. In addition to the proposed experiments, an exploratory study will be carried out to determine the appropriate ratio of anchor plate to stem area for optimum performance, for different values of slab thickness ranging from 6 in. to 12 in.



A second phase of the study will focus on the use of headed reinforcement with the objective of increasing ductility. The second phase will explore the possible use of headed reinforcement to improve performance under severe loading conditions, mainly blast and earthquake loads.