Embedded Plate Connection Between Hollow-Core Slabs and Concrete Walls

Abstract

In current practice, hollow-core slabs are connected to the top of cast-in-place walls using dowel or welded connections. The existing research on these connections is minimal, and their design capacity is limited, which created the need for a new connection that has a more efficient installation and an increased design capacity. This research project investigated a new slab-to-wall connection that consisted of an embedded steel plate and stud in the hollow-core. The capacity of the plate assembly embedded in a hollow-core slab was established by directly loading the assembly until steel or concrete failure. Proof-of-concept subassembly testing was conducted on hollow-core slabs connected to cast-in-place walls; the setup mimicked assembly at a jobsite. Capacity of the subassembly was established by applying load until the hollow-core slab, wall, or anchor failed. Results indicated that the embedded steel plate plus stud connection had a capacity that ranged from 8.6 to 33.5 kips when load was applied in various directions. The subassembly results indicated that the wall typically failed first, when subjected to applied loads that ranged from 2.5 to 19.8 kips. These results indicated that the proposed embedded steel plate and stud connection was robust enough for use in real-world applications.