Relevance of Traditional Steel Design and Fabrication Requirements to Structural Stainless Steels

Stainless steel is increasingly used in a number of structural applications and less considered an exotic solution to structural engineering problems. A paradigm shift towards life-cycle costing and sustainable development, as well as superior mechanical, thermal and physical characteristics are often cited as the dominant driving force. While significant progress has been made around the world, particularly over the last two decades, in structural stainless steel research, design methods are largely based on those of the well-known carbon steels. Although there is increased understanding of the material's unique mechanical behaviour and structural characteristics, on-going research efforts seek to fully maximise the desirable properties of the material to improve on structural design and performance. It is also expected to facilitate its wider structural applications, making it a structural material of choice. This paper addresses a broad range of fundamental issues affecting material behaviour, design requirements, fabrication, erection and research development of stainless steels in structural applications, and brings together a number of useful leads for both researchers and practitioners. It also assesses the relevance of design and fabrication procedures customary to carbon steels.