Behavior of Cold-Formed High Strength Stainless Steel Sections

This paper presents the behavior of cold-formed high strength stainless steel sections. The test specimens were cold-rolled from flat strips of duplex and high strength austenitic stainless steel. The material properties of high strength stainless steel square and rectangular hollow sections were determined. Tensile coupons at different locations in cross section were tested. Hence, the distributions of 0.2% proof stress and tensile strength measured in the cross section of cold-formed high strength stainless steel sections were plotted. The material properties of the complete cross section in the cold-worked state were also obtained from stub column tests. Detailed measurements of initial local geometric imperfections of the sections were obtained. The initial local plate imperfection profiles were plotted. Residual stress measurements of the high strength stainless steel sections were also conducted. The membrane and bending residual stress distributions in the cross section of the specimens were obtained. Furthermore, the stub column test strengths were compared with the design strengths.