This thesis deals with the structural design of structural elements made of stainless steel as imposed by Eurocode standards. The use of stainless steels in construction has grown in the last years due to their corrosion resistance and good material characteristics.
They are used in aggressive environments and are a favored choice when high strength at elevated temperatures is required. The correct use of stainless steel reduces maintenance costs over the life cycle.
The first part of the thesis presents the mechanical and physical properties of stainless steel and they are compared to carbon steel. The differences are due to the microstructure and alloying chemical elements of stainless steel. The second part deals with the corrosion resistance and approaches it from an economic point of view. Finally, the general design rules according to the European standard EN 1993-1-4 are presented and successfully implemented in two examples.
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