The Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) is sponsoring a comprehensive research program to assess the shear capacities of groups of headed-stud anchors. This program was initiated in response to new provisions introduced in ACI 318�?02, which were based on an extensive database dominated by results of post-installed anchor tests. Tests of headed-stud anchors loaded in shear, as used in precast concrete construction, are not prevalent in the literature. This test program, conducted by Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc., examines headed-stud connections in several geometric configurations and edge conditions. This paper provides a summary of the background studies and the research work that culminated in the design equations presented in Section 6.5 of the sixth edition of the PCI Design Handbook.
