Shear stud connectors are an essential component of railway bridges. They facilitate the composite action between the slab and the girders of the bridge, increasing the stiffness and strength of the structure. Both channel stud connectors and headed stud connectors are used widely in railway bridges. Shear studs are often used in railway bridges to ensure efficient shear transfer at column-slab connections. Steel stud construction devices that make construction of railway bridges easier and more cost-effective. The Indian Railways, for instance is constructing over 200 Bridges in the near future.
Shear stud for railway bridges are made by welding headed shear studs to bars of steel. These bars are then used for shear reinforcement. Shear studs in railway bridges resist the punching shear forces by creating a larger shear area around the column. Headed Shear stud also work to improve the ductility of the concrete slab and provide more strength to it. The utility and popularity of headed shear stud has led the market to be increasingly competitive when it comes to shear stud for bridges & steel beams. Nowadays, composite girders in railway bridges are easy to maintain and provide better riding comfort for passengers.
In recent times, railways and Metro have become quite dependent on steel stud construction and area increasingly using shear stud connectors. Ageing infrastructure, increasing fleet size, greater weight carrying capacity and the need for faster speeds, dedicated corridors, unmanned signalling and many other factors necessities the use of composite steel structures in construction of bridges.