Shear performance of stud connectors in steel-concrete composite bridges: A review.

The article focuses on the static and fatigue performance (SFP) of stud connectors in steel-concrete composite bridges (SCCBs), which are critical for force transfer and preventing deck separation between steel girders and concrete slabs. It reviews existing methods for evaluating the ultimate bearing capacity (UBC), load-slip behavior, fatigue life (FL), fatigue slip (FS), and residual strength (RS) of studs, highlighting that current bridge design specifications often overestimate UBC by neglecting the synergistic effects between studs and concrete. The review discusses key influencing parameters such as concrete type and strength, stud diameter and aspect ratio, initial damage, and the use of rubber sleeves, noting that novel concretes like ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) enhance static performance but may affect fatigue behavior differently. It also examines fatigue assessment methods—including stress-life (S-N), strain-life (ε-N), and fracture mechanics approaches—and emphasizes the challenges in accurately modeling stud behavior due to complex interactions and parameter coupling. The article identifies research gaps, such as the need for unified calculation models, investigation of coupled parameter effects, long-term performance under environmental and fatigue loads, fatigue behavior of grouped studs, and balancing static and fatigue performance in stud design.