Experimental Investigation of Distortional Buckling of Cold-Formed Stainless Steel Sections

This paper describes the experimental investigation of the distortional buckling of thin-walled stainless steel sections in compression. Austenitic 304, ferritic 430 stainless steel and ferritic-like 3Crl2 chromium weldable steel sheets were brake-pressed into simple-lipped channels and simple-lipped channels with intermediate stiffeners. A comprehensive procedure to determine the mechanical properties of stainless steel material is described. A total of 19 distortional tests failed at stresses greater than the proportionality stress, and hence were influenced by material non-linearity. Data required to assess current design guidelines in place for distortional buckling of stainless steel compression members are provided herein