Experimental study of laser-welded stainless steel T-section stub columns

Abstract

This experimental study comprises sixteen laser-welded grade 1.4301 austenitic stainless steel T-section stub columns under axial loading, supplemented with tensile coupon tests, residual stress measurements and initial geometric imperfection measurements. The test setups, procedures and results, including failure loads, load–end shortening curves and failure modes, were thoroughly reported and analysed. The existing design codes from the Eurocode and the American specification were then evaluated for their applicability to austenitic stainless steel T-section stub columns, based on the test results. The cross-sections are categorised according to the slenderness limits defined in the respective design codes before they are used in the calculation. The evaluation results indicated that the Eurocode and American specification both yield slightly conservative, safe and consistent failure load predictions for laser-welded grade 1.4301 austenitic stainless steel T-section stub columns.