Overlap shear connections in bearing in thin-walled stainless steel structures

Abstract

It is recognized a distinct structural behavior attributed to stainless steel grades in which stainless steel elements are associated to nonlinear stress-strain curves without a defined yield plateau and large strain hardening zones. The purpose of the present investigation is to contribute with further experimental and numerical analyses in order to assess the structural performance of the overlap shear connections in bearing in thin-walled stainless steel structures. Two grades of stainless steel were considered in the study, namely Austenitic and Ferritic. The experimental tests reflected the high deformation and strain hardening presented by the first, leading to a higher deformation and load bearing capacity. The numerical model was successfully validated and used to assess the impact of the plate thickness variation. Furthermore, the suitability of design expressions in the Eurocode were assessed. The results show that the level of accuracy depend on the geometric dimensions of the connection, namely, stainless steel grade, end distance (e1) and spacing between bolts (p1).