World Journal of Engineering Research and Technology

*Oluwafemi Samson Afolabi, Oladipo Toyyib

ABSTRACT

This study investigates whether structural adhesives can provide reliable shear transfer in steel-concrete composite connections, focusing on how lap length affects interface capacity. A push-out test program evaluated three bonded specimens with lap lengths of 100 mm, 150 mm, and 200 mm using a two-part epoxy. Each specimen combined an IPE steel section with a plain concrete block and a 5 mm adhesive layer. Results showed sudden, brittle failure governed by the concrete close to the bonded interface for all cases. The 150 mm lap length achieved the highest measured shear stress, suggesting that bondgeometry influences capacity beyond bonded area alone. The findings support prior evidence that capacity tends to saturate beyond an effective bond length and that width to length proportion can shift stress concentrations. Practical implications include selecting lap lengths that balance constructability with reduced stress peaks, improved reliability, and minimized surface preparation demands. Limitations include single tests per configuration and potential setup variability, so future work should include replication and parametric studies of width to length ratio, surface treatment, and adhesive type.

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