Structural Performance of Innovative Demountable Shear Connectors for Automated Construction

Abstract Steel‐concrete composite structures offer significant potential for the adoption of prefabricated solutions that enhance on‐site assembly efficiency, particularly when demountable connection systems are employed. Such systems facilitate ease of both assembly and eventual disassembly, minimizing or eliminating the need for destructive operations, while promoting future developments in robotization and automation of construction processes. Recent studies have presented multiple solutions for improving demountable shear connectors, with a focus on addressing the issue of clearance in bolted connections. This investigation tested different configurations of demountable shear connectors using push‐out tests according to EN 1994‐1‐1 standards. Traditional welded shear studs (19 mm) were included as a reference for comparison. The demountable solutions employed M16 10.9 bolts with hexagon and countersunk heads. The embedded parts comprised a steel tube welded to a long nut. The testing protocol included loading/unloading cycles and disassembly/assembly operations to assess the deconstruction potential of these solutions. The shear connector comprising the long nut welded to a steel tube showed similar resistance to the welded shear connector, while presenting significantly higher ductility and lower initial stiffness. Finally, detailed finite element models were developed to accurately reproduce the observed structural behaviour, including fracture mechanisms.