Modeling of Residual Stresses in Structural Stainless Steel Sections

The influence of residual stresses on structural members is to cause premature yielding and loss of stiffness, often leading to deterioration of load carrying capacity. Knowledge of their magnitude and distribution is therefore important for both structural design and finite-element simulations, and hence extensive studies have been performed on structural carbon steel components. With greater emphasis now being placed on durability and reducing consumption of resources, the use of stainless steel in construction is growing, heralding the need for a more precise understanding of its structural response. Stainless steel exhibits differing physical and thermal properties from carbon steel, both of which influence the formation of residual stresses, and it cannot simply be assumed that residual stress models for carbon steel are also appropriate for stainless steel. This paper examines all existing data on residual stresses in stainless steel sections, including data generated from a recent experimental program carried out at Imperial College, London and summarized herein. The collated residual stress data have been used to develop models for predicting the magnitude and distribution of residual stresses in press braked, cold rolled, hot rolled, and fabricated stainless steel structural sections.