The　steel-ultra　high　performance　concrete　(UHPC)　composite　deck　has　been　increasingly　concerned　for　the　fatigue　damage　ameliorations　on　the　steel　bridge　deck　and　the　pavement.　The　UHPC　plate　in　the　composite　deck　featured　by　the　favorable　tensile　performance　and　small　thickness　helps　achieving　a　light　self-weight.　However,　it　results　to　a　limited　short　space　for　the　shear　connector　to　transfer　the　interlayer　shear　force.　Therefore,　this　study　proposed　a　kind　of　short　steel　channel-section　connector　for　the　composite　deck　with　a　thin　UHPC　plate,　and　investigated　its　mechanical　behavior　through　push-out　tests　and　parametric　FEM　analysis.　The　test　results　showed　the　deformation　of　the　channel　connector　during　the　loading　process　generally　included　the　elastic,　elastic–plastic,　and　plastic　stages,　and　the　shear　fracture　of　channel　connector　dominated　in　the　failure　mode.　The　shear　stiffness　of　the　specimen　with　embedded　reinforcement　was　increased　by　39%,　but　had　little　influence　on　the　shear　capacity.　On　the　other　side,　the　parametric　analysis　told　that　the　shear　strength　of　connector　increased　significantly　as　the　connector　height　increased　from　50　to　80 mm.　Nevertheless,　the　connector　arrangement　direction　was　a　sensitive　factor　to　the　uplift　resistance　of　the　connector.　©　2019,　Korean　Society　of　Steel　Construction.