Behaviour of structural stainless steel cross-sections under combined loading – Part II: Numerical modelling and design approach

Abstract

In parallel with the experimental study described in the companion paper [1], a numerical modelling programme has been carried out to investigate further the structural behaviour of stainless steel cross-sections under combined loading. The numerical models, which were developed using the finite element (FE) package ABAQUS, were initially validated against the experiments, showing the capability of the FE models to replicate the key test results, the full experimental load-deformation histories and the observed local buckling failure modes.Upon validation of the FE models, parametric studies were conducted to generate additional structural performance data over a wide range of cross-section slenderness and combinations

Behaviour of structural stainless steel cross-sections under combined loading – Part I: Experimental study

“…All experimental results are utilized in the companion paper [1] for validation of the numerical models, and evaluation and development of suitable design rules for stainless steel cross-sections under combined loading. (e) Test curves for SHS 150×150×8 (Specimens: 5C to 5F).…”

“…However, to date, limited research has been conducted into the cross-sectional behaviour of stainless steel tubular sections under combined axial load and bending moment, and this is therefore the focus of the present investigation. This paper and its companion paper [1] describe experimental and numerical investigations conducted on SHS and RHS made of austenitic and duplex stainless steels under combined loading. The numerical modelling programme comprises a calibration study and a parametric study carried out to generate further structural performance data.…”

“…However, an area that has remained relatively unexplored is that of combined loading. Testing and analysis of stainless steel cross-sections under combined axial load and bending is therefore the subject of the present paper and the companion paper [1]. The experimental programme covers both austenitic and duplex stainless steels, and five cross-section sizes including three square hollow sections (SHS) and two rectangular hollow sections (RHS).…”

Experimental Study on Ferritic Stainless Steel RHS and SHS Cross-sectional Resistance Under Combined Loading

“…Recent numerical analysis on ferritic RHS and SHS subjected to combined loading was carried out by Arrayago et al [4] and some experimental tests were published by Zhao et al. for austenitic, lean duplex [5,6] and ferritic [7] RHS and SHS under combined loading. Both investigations led to very similar conclusions, where the use of the interaction expression codified in [2] but considering axial and flexural cross-sectional capacities according to the CSM was found to be the most appropriate design approach, providing accurate previsions while maintaining design prescriptions as similar as possible to those codified for carbon steel in order to facilitate the design of stainless steel structures.…”

Testing and numerical modelling of austenitic stainless steel CHS beam–columns

“…The four-noded doubly curved shell element with reduced integration and finite membrane strain, S4R [34], having been used successfully in previous numerical studies of thin-walled structures [35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42], was selected as the element type throughout the present numerical simulations. The assigned mesh size along the circumferential and longitudinal directions of the sections was equal to the cross-section thickness.…”