Product Introduction
Headed shear connector studs manufactured to ISO 13918, designated SD type for standard ductile performance. The fasteners are welded through the profiled steel deck or directly to the steel beam top flange using the drawn‑arc stud welding process. Once the concrete slab is cast, the studs provide a positive shear connection that ties the concrete to the structural steel, resists longitudinal shear forces, and increases the composite load‑carrying capacity of the beam.

Material & Mechanical Properties
Fabricated from weldable low‑carbon steel with controlled aluminum content for arc stabilization. After welding, the fusion zone meets the tensile and bend‑test criteria defined in ISO 14555 and AWS D1.1. The connection develops full shear strength exceeding the shank cross‑section, ensuring ductile behaviour under overload.

Dimensions & Identification

• Nominal diameter range: 10 mm to 25 mm

• Length before welding: 40 mm to 300 mm

• Head form: cylindrical cheese head per ISO 13918

• Marking: the manufacturer’s identification mark is embossed on the head face, establishing full traceability to the production batch and heat number

Ceramic Ferrules
Every stud is supplied together with a cordierite ceramic ferrule. During welding, the ferrule surrounds the molten pool, shielding it from atmospheric contamination, controlling fillet geometry, and withstanding the extreme thermal shock of the drawn‑arc cycle without melting or cracking. Ferrules are removed after the weld solidifies.

Installation & Weld Integrity Verification
Installation is performed with a drawn‑arc stud welding gun, not a resistance spot welder. After the metal deck is positioned over the supporting steel beam, the gun lifts the stud, draws an electric arc that melts the stud tip and a localized area of the beam flange, then forces the stud into the molten pool — burning through the deck without requiring pre‑drilled holes.
Weld quality is verified visually (full 360° flash, fillet dimensions) and by a mechanical bend test: striking the side of the welded stud with an iron mallet bends the stud to a prescribed angle. A correctly welded stud remains attached without fracture at the weld interface. A stud that breaks off under this shear‑bending force indicates a defective weld and must be replaced.

Application Suitability
Composite floor and roof decks in multistorey steel‑framed buildings, bridge decks, industrial mezzanines, wind turbine foundations, and other steel‑concrete hybrid structures where shear connectors are specified to achieve full composite action. The stud diameter, height, and quantity per beam are determined by the structural engineer.

Technical Parameters