Stub column tests on wire arc additively manufactured equal-leg angle sections

Abstract

A comprehensive experimental programme has been conducted to examine the buckling behaviour of sixteen equal-leg angle stainless steel stub columns produced using wire arc additive manufacturing, employing four different deposition rates while maintaining a constant heat input. Following specimen production, the geometric profiles of the stub columns were captured using 3D laser scanning. Geometric analysis of the surface of the specimens provided insights on the surface roughness and on the profile and amplitude of initial twist and local geometric imperfections. The specimens were tested under axial compression with the failure modes revealing a purely torsional buckling behaviour followed by inelastic post-buckling flexural buckling effects. The applicability of both existing (EN 1993–1–4) and recently proposed (Behzadi-Sofiani et al. (2021)) design provisions were assessed against the test results, revealing that the latter, while also conservative, can lead to more accurate predictions.