Structural Behaviour of Stainless Steel Tubular Columns Under Flexural Buckling
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Stainless steel structures have been increasingly used in construction due to several advantages, including high corrosion resistance, superior mechanical strength, great durability, and aesthetic appearance. However, existing standards, such as EN 1993-1-4, may not fully utilise the potential offered by this material. Therefore, this study aims to understand the behaviour of stainless steel rectangular hollow section (RHS) columns to maximise the material's potential while ensuring safety. Specifically, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the behaviour of these columns under flexural buckling across three different types of stainless steel: austenitic, ferritic and duplex, based on a numerical model developed in Ansys software. The methodology involves parametric studies based on models calibrated against experimental results available in the literature. Finally, the study will evaluate the adequacy of the slenderness limits and design formulas proposed by Eurocode 3 (EN 1993-1-4) and the Continuous Strength Method (CSM) to ensure the safe and efficient design procedures of these structures to enlarge the database to be used for the development of the stainless steel Brazilian standard that is in progress.