What Are Shear Studs?
Definition of Shear Studs in Construction
Shear studs refer to the installation of steel pins or grommets, that extend out of the top flange of a steel support beam. Normally the shear studs are welded, with a spot welder, after the metal deck is installed over the supporting structural steel. The spot welder will burn through the metal deck and attach the shear stud directly to the top of the steel beam.
The purpose of the shear stud is to provide a structural connection between the poured in place concrete slab and the structural steel. This structural connection distributes any shear forces that the structure may incur. Without the shear studs in place, there is a slip plane between the concrete slab, the metal deck and the structural steel framework of the project. The structural engineer will determine, which beams will have the shear studs, the size of the studs as well as the number of studs to be installed. There are specialized subcontractors that will install the shear studs. The test for the shear studs integrity is simply striking the side of the shear stud with an iron mallet. This will ensure that the stud has been properly welded to the beam, if not, the stud will simply break off at the point of intersection with the steel beam. The stud will have failed due to a shear force.