Residual Stresses in Cold Formed Steel Sections

Initial or residual stresses are considered one of the major factors that affect the design of the cold-formed steel sections, since they could reach 50% of the yield stress of the material. As part of a comprehensive experimental program on the use of cold-formed steel sections in transmission towers, an investigation on the magnitude and distribution of residual stresses in cold-formed steel sections was undertaken. The study involved 83 tests using two nondestructive methods, and two destructive methods, to determine the magnitude and distribution of residual stresses. The paper summarizes the results from this investigation and outlines a number of implications for the design of cold-formed sections