Cyclic moment-curvature characteristics of mild steel

An experimental study of the moment-curvature behaviour of mild steel under essentially quasistatic cyclic loading is presented. A simple and efficient test rig which allows the testing to be extended into the strain hardening range was developed and is briefly described. In all, seventeen tests were conducted on rectangular mild steel sections to enable various features of the cyclic behaviour to be observed and highlighted. In particular, it was found that the main characteristics of the cyclic moment-curvature curves are predictable, and amenable to mathematical modelling.