Testing, numerical analysis and design of stainless steel equal-leg angle section beams

The stability and design of stainless steel equal-leg angle section members subjected to uniaxial bending are studied herein. An experimental investigation, comprising material testing, initial geometric imperfection measurements physical tests on hot-rolled austenitic beams is first presented. test results then used validate shell finite element models developed within ABAQUS, which in turn undertake numerical parametric studies that consider both cold-formed austenitic, duplex ferritic with a wide range slenderness values. Recent have shown for angles under major-axis bending, lateral-torsional local buckling can arise, while minor-axis Brazier-type flattening occur. When designing according Eurocode 3, considered; it herein sections be designed using normalised based the minimum elastic moments, also considering their ratio. Under however, comparison current provisions 3 only require cross-section checks, safer more accurate resistance predictions achieved when account taken flattening. New proposals beams, covering major- therefore developed. proposed rules offer substantially consistent compared existing codified rules. reliability new provisions, recommended partial safety factor γM1=1.1, verified following procedure provided EN 1990.