Development of the modified clothoidal (MCL) shape of composite dowels against the background of fatigue and technological issues

Composite dowels opened new possibilities for engineers designing composite structures. The fundamental and most important characteristic of composite dowels is the shape of the cutting pattern (called line). It is important to understand why only one particular shape of the cutting line, the modified clothoidal (MCL) shape, is being used in bridge engineering, while so many different shapes have been investigated by many researchers. The essential part of the process of developing composite dowels – the development of shape of the cutting line – is presented in this paper. The investigation, development, and evolution of the MCL shape, which is the final form of composite dowels for bridges and has been widely introduced in bridge engineering, are presented. The results of comparative tests of different shapes under cyclic loads are discussed. The background for the design formulas for the steel part and the fabrication aspects are highlighted.