Residual stresses in press-braked stainless steel sections,II: Press-braking operations

The manufacturing process of cold-formed thin-walled steel members induces cold work which can be characterized by the co-existent residual stresses and equivalent plastic strains and has a significant effect on their structural behaviour and strength. The present paper and the companion paper are concerned with the prediction of residual stresses and co-existent equivalent plastic strains in stainless steel sections formed by the press-braking method. This manufacturing process consists of the following two distinct stages: (i) coiling and uncoiling of the sheets, and (ii) press-braking operations. This paper first presents an analytical solution for the residual stresses and the co-existent equivalent plastic strains that arise from the second stage while a corresponding analytical solution for the first stage is presented in the companion paper. In both solutions, plane strain pure bending is assumed and the effect of material anisotropy is taken into account. On the basis of these two analytical solutions, an analytical model is presented to predict residual stresses and equivalent plastic strains in press-braked stainless sections. The predictions of the analytical model are shown to be in close agreement with results from a finite element-based method, demonstrating the validity and accuracy of the analytical model. The analytical model provides a much simpler method for the accurate prediction of residual stresses and equivalent plastic strains in different parts of a press-braked stainless steel section than a finite element-based method.     

Residual stresses in cold-rolled stainless steel hollow sections

Stainless steel exhibits a pronounced response to cold-work and heat input. As a result, the behaviour of structural stainless steel sections, as influenced by strength, ductility and residual stress presence, is sensitive to the precise means by which the sections are produced. This paper explores the presence and influence of residual stresses in cold-rolled stainless steel box sections using experimental and numerical techniques. In previous studies, residual stress magnitudes have been inferred from surface strain measurements and an assumed through-thickness stress distribution. In the present study, through-thickness residual stresses in cold-rolled stainless steel box sections have been measured directly by means of X-ray diffraction and their effect on structural behaviour has been carefully assessed through detailed non-linear numerical modelling. Geometric imperfections, flat and corner material properties and the average compressive response of stainless steel box sections were also examined experimentally and the results have been fully reported. From the X-ray diffraction measurements, it was concluded that the influence of through-thickness (bending) residual stresses in cold-rolled stainless steel box sections could be effectively represented by a rectangular stress block distribution. The developed ABAQUS numerical models included features such as non-linear material stress-strain characteristics, initial geometric imperfections, residual stresses (membrane and bending) and enhanced strength corner properties. The residual stresses, together with the corresponding plastic strains, were included in the FE models by means of the SIGINI and HARDINI Fortran subroutines. Of the two residual stress components, the bending residual stresses were found to be larger in magnitude and of greater (often positive) influence on the structural behaviour of thin-walled cold-formed stainless steel sections.     

Residual stress distributions in welded stainless steel sections

Residual stress magnitudes and distributions in structural stainless steel built-up sections have been comprehensively investigated in this study. A total of 18 test specimens were fabricated from hot-rolled stainless steel plates by means of shielded metal arc welding (SMAW). Two grades of stainless steel were considered, namely the austenitic grade EN 1.4301 and the duplex grade EN 1.4462. Using the sectioning method, the test specimens were divided into strips. The residual stresses were then computed by multiplying the strains relieved during sectioning by the measured Young׳s moduli determined from tensile and compressive coupon tests. Residual stress distributions were obtained for 10 I-sections, four square hollow sections (SHS) and four rectangular hollow sections (RHS). Peak tensile residual stresses reached around 80% and 60% of the material 0.2% proof stress for grades EN 1.4301 and EN 1.4462, respectively. Based upon the test data, simplified predictive models for residual stress distributions in stainless steel built-up I-sections and box sections were developed. Following comparisons with other available residual stress test data, the applicability of the proposed models was also extended to other stainless steel alloys. The proposed residual stress patterns are suitable for inclusion in future analytical models and numerical simulations of stainless steel built-up sections.     

Residual stress analysis of structural stainless steel sections

The magnitude and distribution of residual stresses in structural carbon steel sections have been thoroughly investigated. However, few residual stress measurements have been made on structural stainless steel sections. Stainless steel has differing material stress-strain characteristics and thermal properties to carbon steel, both of which influence the formation of residual stresses. This suggests that established carbon steel residual stress models may not be appropriate for stainless steel. With increased use of stainless steel in load bearing applications, it is important to establish the residual stresses that exist within structural members. An experimental program to quantify the residual stresses in stainless steel sections from three different production routes has therefore been carried out. Comprehensive residual stress distributions have been obtained for three hot rolled angles, eight press braked angles and seven cold rolled box sections, with a total of over 800 readings taken. This paper presents the experimental techniques implemented and the residual stress distributions obtained as well as discussing the assumptions commonly made regarding through thickness residual stress variations. In the hot rolled and press braked sections, residual stresses were typically found to be below 20% of the material 0.2% proof stress, though for the cold rolled box sections, whilst membrane residual stresses were relatively low, bending residual stresses were found to be between 40% and 70% of the material 0.2% proof stress.     

Flexural behaviour of stainless steel oval hollow sections

Structural hollow sections are predominantly square, rectangular or circular in profile. While square and circular hollow sections are often the most effective in resisting axial loads, rectangular hollow sections, with greater stiffness about one principal axis than the other, are generally more suitable in bending. Oval or elliptical hollow sections (EHS) combine the aesthetic external profile of circular hollow sections with the suitability for resisting flexure of rectangular sections, whilst also retaining the inherent torsional stiffness offered by all tubular sections. This paper examines the structural response of recently introduced stainless steel oval hollow sections (OHS) in bending and presents design recommendations. In-plane bending tests in the three-point configuration about both the major and minor axes were conducted. All tested specimens were cold-formed from Grade 1.4401 stainless steel and had an aspect ratio of approximately 1.5. The full moment-rotation responses of the specimens were recorded and have been presented herein. The tests were replicated numerically by means of non-linear finite element (FE) analysis and parametric studies were performed to investigate the influence of key parameters, such as the aspect ratio and the cross-section slenderness, on the flexural response. Based on both the experimental and numerical results, structural design recommendations for stainless steel OHS in bending in accordance with Eurocode 3: Part 1.4 have been made.     

Residual stresses in welded flame-cut high strength steel H-sections

The presence of residual stress in members can significantly compromise the stiffness and fatigue life of steel structural components. Researches in this area are well documented for structural members of mild carbon steels. Nevertheless, due to the difference of stress–strain relations and material properties under ambient and high temperatures, the residual stress distribution in a high strength steel member is physically different from those fabricated from mild carbon steel. It is imperative to study the residual stress distribution for structural members fabricated from high strength steel. In this paper, the residual stresses of three welded flame-cut H-section columns with a nominal yield strength of 460 MPa but different cross-section dimensions were investigated. Both sectioning and hole-drilling methods were used in the measurement and the obtained residual stresses were compared between the two methods. The magnitudes and distributions of the measured residual stresses are identical with those of carbon steel, however in relatively smaller residual stress ratios. Finally, based on the measurements, a simplified residual stress distribution for 460 MPa high strength steel members with welded flame-cut H-section is proposed.     

Strength and ductility of corner materials in cold-formed stainless steel sections

The cold work from the manufacturing process of cold-formed steel members can enhance the strength but reduce the ductility of materials. Due to a high cost of stainless steels, it is desirable to utilize this enhanced strength and avoid the early fracture in cold-formed stainless steel members. The paper is concerned with the prediction of the enhanced stress–strain behaviour and reduced ductility of corner materials in cold-formed stainless steel sections. The enhanced strength of corner materials has been traditionally determined using empirical models. However, most of these empirical models are only able to predict the enhanced 0.2% proof strength, but are neither capable of predicting the enhanced ultimate strength nor able to determine the reduced ductility. This paper first presents a modified weighted-average method for predicting the post-ultimate stress–strain behaviour and the fracture strain for stainless steels. An advanced numerical approach is next presented for predicting the full-range stress–strain behaviour of corner materials in cold-formed stainless steel sections, in which the modified weighted-average method is incorporated. The accuracy of this approach is demonstrated by comparing its predictions with test results. The proposed approach is generally applicable to cold-worked materials for predicting their enhanced strength, reduced ductility and full-range stress–strain behaviour. The proposed method and numerical results can explain why and how the ultimate strength of cold-formed steels can be increased and how the post-ultimate stress–strain behaviour can be utilized through cold working.     

Temperature development in structural stainless steel sections exposed to fire

The initial material cost of structural stainless steel is about four times that of structural carbon steel, due largely to the expense of the alloying elements and the relatively low volume of production. Given broadly similar structural performance, additional areas of benefit need to be identified and exploited in order to establish stainless steel as a viable alternative material for construction. In addition to the familiar benefits of corrosion resistance, low maintenance, high residual value and aesthetics, one such area is fire resistance. The mechanical and thermal properties of stainless steel differ from those of carbon steel due to variation in chemical composition between the materials. A comparison of these properties for austenitic stainless steel with those for structural carbon steel is presented herein, and implications of the differences explored.Accurate and efficient determination of the temperature development within a structural member upon subjection to fire is paramount. In this paper, comparisons of temperature development in structural stainless steel sections are made between existing test results, numerical simulations and the simple calculation model of Eurocode 3: Part 1.2. Based on these comparisons, revised values for the heat transfer coefficient and emissivity of structural stainless steel members exposed to fire are proposed. In the temperature development calculation model of EN 1993-1-2, it is proposed that emissivity be taken as 0.2 (in place of the currently adopted value of 0.4) and the heat transfer coefficient be taken as 35 W/m² K (in place of the currently adopted value of 25 W/m² K). The significance of such revisions to the fire resistance and critical temperature is assessed. Application of the revised values in the predictive models for member resistances at elevated temperatures in Eurocode 3: Part 1.2 also reveals improved agreement with test results on axially loaded stainless steel columns in fire, and average enhancements in fire resistance of 10%.     

Study of web crippling in ferritic stainless steel cold formed sections

Cold-formed stainless steel members are widely used due to their high corrosion resistance and high resistance-to-weight ratio but their susceptibility to buckle implies that instability phenomena such as web crippling, where the web locally buckles due to concentrated transverse forces, must be considered. On the other hand, the emergent ferritic stainless steel has very low nickel content and therefore, they are cheaper and relatively price stable compared to austenitics and duplex. Their promising future has aimed to develop efficient design guidance and as a result, a new unified web crippling resistance expression based on numerical simulations and thereafter validated with experimental results has been proposed.     

Strength enhancements induced during cold forming of stainless steel sections

The material properties of stainless steel are sensitive to plastic deformation which causes an increase in yield strength by a process termed cold working. The different strain paths experienced around cold-formed cross sections during manufacture create unique material strength distributions for sections from different forming routes and also influence residual stress patterns. The research program presented herein has examined experimentally the material and residual stress distributions found in two types of cold-formed sections-cold-rolled box sections and press-braked angles. Predictive tools to harness the observed strength enhancements have been proposed and incorporated into models. Subsequent comparisons have shown that these strength enhancements, in particular those observed for cold-rolled box sections, should be employed in structural design to avoid considerable underestimation of member resistance.     

Experimental investigation of residual stresses in roller bent wide flange steel sections

Residual stresses in straight hot rolled wide flange sections are well documented and have been investigated in the recent past. However, to the knowledge of the authors, residual stress measurements have not been published on roller bent wide flange sections. Straight sections are curved into roller bent ones at ambient temperatures by means of the roller bending process. Since roller bent sections underwent severe plastic deformation during the forming process, the well-known residual stress patterns from hot rolling may not be appropriate for the roller bent steel. Roller bent sections can be applied in halls, roofings and bridges, thereby acting as structural arches and it is important that a realistic residual stress pattern is implemented when assessing their load carrying capacity. An experimental program has been carried out to investigate the residual stresses in roller bent wide flange sections bent about the strong axis. Residual stresses were measured with the sectioning method. The experimental technique was investigated with respect to possible temperature influence and repeatability of the measurements. Experimental values revealed that the residual stress pattern and magnitude in roller bent sections is different when compared to their straight counterparts.     

The assessment of residual stresses in welded high strength steel box sections

Much work on the investigation of the magnitude and distribution of residual stresses in mild carbon steel sections have been made previously. However, limited efforts have been put on residual stress measurements of high strength steel sections. The differences of stress–strain curves and high-temperature material properties between the high strength steel and mild carbon steel demands a necessary study of the residual stresses in high strength steel welded sections. In the present study, three box columns fabricated from Q460 steel plates of 11 mm in thickness with different details were used for the examination. Both sectioning and hole-drilling methods are adopted for the measurement. The measured residual stress distributions of three different box sections are presented, and the corresponding simplified residual stress pattern is proposed. By comparing with the residual stress patterns for mild carbon steel, it is found that the box section fabricated from HSS plates has the lower compressive residual stress ratio. The differences in the measurement by using sectioning and hole-drilling methods are also compared.     

外贴CFRP布加固不锈钢和普通钢方管短柱轴压性能研究

通过对环向外贴碳纤维布（CFRP）加固不锈钢和普通钢方管短柱的轴压试验和数值模拟研究基轴压性能。结果表明,不锈钢和普通钢方管未加固短柱和加固试件的轴压破坏模式均为对称局部屈曲;CFRP布加固试件的轴压承载力与未加固试件相比均有明显提升,对于相同宽厚比的试件,4层环向加固的效果优于2层环向加固的;随着截面宽厚比的增加,试件的承载力提高百分比随之增加。同时,采用精细化有限元分析模型研究了不同宽厚比试件环向外贴CFRP布加固后的承载力;最后,基于受压薄壁截面的有效截面概念,提出了环向CFRP约束方管有效截面的假设,推导了环向CFRP布加固不锈钢和普通钢方管短柱轴压承载力的计算方法,并与本文试验结果、文献数据和有限元拓展参数模拟结果对比,验证了所提计算方法的有效性和适用性。     

Strengthening of circular hollow steel tubular sections using high modulus CFRP sheets

This paper describes the behaviour of very high strength (VHS) circular steel tubes strengthened by carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) and subjected to axial tension. A series of tests were conducted with different bond lengths and number of layers. The distribution of strain through the thickness of CFRP layers and along the CFRP bond length was studied. The strain was found to generally decrease along the CFRP bond length far from the joint. The strain through the thickness of the CFRP layers was also found to decrease from the bottom to top layer. The effective bond length for high modulus CFRP was established. Finally empirical models were developed to estimate the maximum load for a given CFRP arrangement.     

Residual behavior of steel rebars and R/C sections after a fire

The mechanical properties of various steel bars exposed to high temperature (“residual” properties) are experimentally investigated up to 850 °C, with reference to a number of steel and bar types (carbon and stainless steel; quenched and self-tempered bars; hot-rolled and cold-worked bars; smooth and deformed bars). The aim is to clarify to what extent the thermal sensitivity of the different bars affects the ultimate capacity of a typical R/C section subjected to an eccentric axial force, past a fire (“residual” capacity). As usual in the design of R/C sections under combined bending and axial loading, the ultimate behavior is represented through the “M–N envelopes”, where the materials strength decay due to high temperature is taken into account. The results show that quenched and self-tempered bars (QST), very popular in Europe, are more temperature-sensitive above 600 °C than the carbon-steel bars extensively used in the States and nowadays rarely used in Europe. Furthermore, the best response is exhibited by the stainless-steel bars, provided that they are hot rolled, as it is generally the case for medium- and large-diameter bars. Similar conclusions can be drawn for the sections reinforced with the different bar types.     

Residual stress influence on material properties and column behaviour of stainless steel SHS

The paper describes the influence of forming-induced residual stresses in stainless steel SHS (Square Hollow Sections) on both the material itself and the behaviour of compressed members. The residual stress contribution to the stress–strain diagram concerning the initial modulus of elasticity and non-linearity is shown by the comparison of as-delivered and stress-relieved material. An analytical model covering the influence of residual stresses on material behaviour was developed and verified numerically. The FE study using the Abaqus software determines the influence of residual stresses in compressed members both on local and global buckling. Finally, the study on behaviour of member includes the influence of a varying degree of material non-linearity as an independent parameter representing the behaviour of various steels in long and stub columns with residual stresses.     

FRP strengthening of lean duplex stainless steel hollow sections subjected to web crippling

This paper presents the experimental and numerical investigations of lean duplex stainless steel hollow sections subjected to web crippling. The test specimens were strengthened with different fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP). The web crippling tests were conducted under end-two-flange, interior-two-flange, end-one-flange and interior-one-flange loading conditions. A series of web crippling tests was conducted. The investigation was focused on the effects of surface treatment, web slenderness, different adhesives and FRPs for the strengthening of lean duplex stainless steel hollow sections against web crippling. The lean duplex stainless steel type EN 1.4162 was used in the investigation. Two different surface treatments, three different adhesives and six different FRPs were investigated in this study. The tests were performed on five different sizes of square and rectangular hollow sections that covered a wide range of web slenderness ratio from 8.1 to 57.3. Three different failure modes were observed in the tests of the strengthened specimens, namely the adhesion, interlaminar failure of FRP plate and combination of adhesion and interlaminar failure of FRP plate. Finite element models have been developed and verified against the test results of the specimens subjected to two-flange loading conditions.     

Experimental and numerical investigations of cold-formed stainless steel tubular sections subjected to concentrated bearing load

Experimental and numerical investigations of cold-formed stainless steel square and rectangular hollow sections subjected to concentrated bearing load are presented in this paper. A total of 124 data are presented that include 64 test results and 60 numerical results. The tests were performed on austenitic stainless steel type 304, high strength austenitic and duplex material. The measured web slenderness value of the tubular sections ranged from comparatively stocky webs of 6.2 to relatively more slender webs of 61.4. The tests were carried out under end and interior loading conditions. A non-linear finite element model is developed and verified against experimental results. Geometric and material non-linearities were included in the finite element model. The material nonlinearity of the flat and corner portions of the specimen sections were carefully incorporated in the model. It was shown that the finite element model closely predicted the web crippling strengths and failure modes of the tested specimens. Hence, the model was used for an extensive parametric study of cross-section geometries, and the web slenderness value ranged from 52.0 to 206.7. The test results and the web crippling strengths predicted from the finite element analysis were compared with the design strengths obtained using the American, Australian/New Zealand and European specifications for stainless steel structures. A unified web crippling equation with new coefficients for cold-formed stainless steel square and rectangular hollow sections subjected to concentrated bearing load is proposed. It is demonstrated that the proposed web crippling equation is safe and reliable using reliability analysis.     

Effects of residual stresses on the uniaxial ratcheting behavior of a girth-welded stainless steel pipe

International Journal of Steel Structures - This study attempts to characterize analytically the uniaxial ratcheting behavior of a girth-welded stainless steel pipe. Finite element (FE) simulation...