Integral　abutment　bridges　are　becoming　rather　common,　due　to　the　durability　problems　of　bearings　and　expansion　joints.　At　the　same　time,　among　short-　and　medium-span　bridges,　multi-beam　steel-concrete　composite　deck　with　hot-rolled　girder　is　an　economical　and　interesting　alternative　to　traditional　pre-stressed　concrete　solutions.　The　two　concepts　can　be　linked　together　to　design　integral　steel-concrete　composite　bridges　with　the　benefits　of　two　typologies.　The　most　critical　aspect　for　these　bridges　is　usually　the　joints　between　deck　and　piers　or　abutments.　In　this　paper,　an　innovative　beam-to-pier　joint　is　proposed　and　a　theoretical　and　experimental　study　is　introduced　and　discussed.　The　analyzed　connection　is　aimed　at　combining　general　ease　of　construction　with　a　highly　simplified　assembly　procedure　and　a　good　transmission　of　hogging　and　sagging　moment　at　the　supports　in　continuous　beams.　For　this　purpose,　the　traditional　shear　studs,　used　at　the　interface　between　steel　beam　and　upper　concrete　slab,　are　also　used　at　the　ends　of　steel　profiles　welded　horizontally　to　the　end　plates.　To　better　understand　the　behaviour　of　this　kind　of　joints　and　the　roles　played　by　different　components,　three　large-scale　specimens　were　tested　and　an　FE　model　was　implemented.　The　theoretical　and　experimental　results　confirmed　the　potential　of　the　proposed　connection　for　practical　applications　and　indicated　the　way　to　improve　its　structural　behaviour.　©　2015　The　Authors