TRANSIENT STATE TENSILE TEST RESULTS OF STRUCTURAL STEEL

S355 (RAEX 37-52) AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES

Jyri Outinen
Pentti Makelainen
ABSTRACT
Rakenteiden Mekaniikka, Vol.28
No.1, 1994,pp. 3-18
An experimental research is carried out for investigating mechanical properties of
structural steel S355 at elevated temperatures. Test values of thermal elongation,
modulus of elasticity and yield stress and stress-strain curves are compared with the
values and curves given in Eurocode 3 Ill, in the European Recommendations for the
Fire Safety of Steel Structures /2/ and in the Finnish Code of Steel Structures /10/.
INTRODUCTION
The main purpose of this research was to examine the mechanical properties of structural
steel S355 at temperatures 20C .. 700C using transient state tensile test method.
Transient state tensile tests have not been done before this in Finland for structural steel
S3 55 and therefore a comprehensive experimental study was of great importance.
3
Experimental work was carried out during September and October 1994 at Helsinki
University of Technology in the Laboratory of Steel Structures. Financing for the
research was provided by Rautaruukki Oy.
Results of this study are compared with the values of mechanical properties given in
Eurocode 3 Ill, in the European Recommendations for the Fire Safety of Steel
Structures /2/ and in the Finnish Code of Steel Structures /10/.
STEEL MATERIAL S355 (RAEX 37-52)
Test material used in this research was hot-rolled structural steel S355 (RAEX 37-52)
manufactured by Rautaruukki Oy. Test specimens were cut out from a hot-rolled steel
sheet with nominal thickness of 12l1llll, longitudinally to rolling direction. Structural
steel material is in accordance with the requirements of the European standard SFS-EN
10 025 /9/ for structural steel S355.
Mechanical properties of the test material at room temperature
Four tensile tests were carried out at room temperature to determine the mechanical
properties of the test material at room temperature. Results from the transient and
steady state tests were compared with these results. Six tensile tests were carried out to
determine modulus of elasticity for the test material. Tensile tests were carried out as
stress rate-controlled. The rate of loading was 0.52 (N/mm
2
)/s which caused a rate of
strain of 0.003 min"
1
to the test specimen. Stress-strain curves were used to determine
the tensile properties for each test specimen.
Test results from the tensile tests are compared in Table 1 with the minimum values
given by the manufacturer and the measured values given in the test report of the
inspection certificate of the test material .
4
Table I. Test results, minimum values given by the manufacturer and measured values
given in the test report of the inspection certificate.
Measured value Minimum Reported test value
requirement of inspection
certificate
Modulus of elasticity 210 600 206 000 not measured
E (N/mm
2
)
Yield stress 406.1 355 416
ReH(N/mm
2
)
Ultimate stress 526.9 490-630 548
R,(N/mm
2
)
Chemical C()mposition of the test material
Chemical composition of the test material including comparisons with maximum values
given by the manufacturer is presented in Table 2.
Table 2. Chemical composition of the steel material S355 (RAEX 37-52).
Elementary Measured value Maximum value
substance (%) (%)
Carbon c 0.150 0.180
Silicon Si 0.180 0.500
Manganese Mn 1.410 1.600
Niobium Nb 0.010 0.050
Sulphur s 0.011 0.020
Phosporus
p
0.019 0.025
Aluminium AI 0.041 minimum 0. 020
TESTING FACILITIES
Test specimen
The test specimen having so called proportional circular cross-section was in accordance
with the standard EN 10 002-5 /51. The test specimen is shown in Fig. 1. Dimensions of
the test specimen are given in Table 3.
5
A-A 8-8

Wto
Fig. 1. Test specimen
Table 3. Dimensions of the test specimen.
Total length
Lt
70mm
Parallel length Lc 40mm
Original gauge length
Lo
25mm
Diameter d 5 0.040 mm
Metric screw thread M10 10mm
Radius of curvature r 6mm
Testing device
The tensile testing machine used in this research was manufactured by the German
company Roeii+Korthaus. Testing machine is verified in accordance with the standard
EN 10 002-2 /6/. Loading range can be chosen between 0 .. 50 kN and 0 .. 250 kN.
Loading range used in these tests was 0 .. 50 kN. Maximum load used was about 11 kN.
Maximum loading capacity of the machine is 250 kN. Maximum error of the load cell is
0.05kN by the use of maximum loading capacity.
Gauge length of the extensometer used in this research was 25mm with elongation range
of 0 .. 2.5mm. The extensometer has an accuracy of 0.003mm. The extensometer is in
accordance with the standard EN 10 002-4/7/.
The heating device was manufactured by the German company Maytec GmbH. The
device is in accordance with the standard EN 10 002-5 /8/. The oven in which the test
specimen is situated during the tests was heated by using three separately controlled
resistor elements. The temperature-controlling unit is manufactured by the British
6
company Eurotherm Ltd. The air temperature in the oven was measured with three
separate temperature-detecting elements. The steel temperature was measured accurately
from the test specimen using temperature-detecting element that was fastened to the
specimen during the heating. The temperature-measuring device has an accuracy of
3C. The testing device is shown in Fig.2. The difference between the air temperature
and the steel temperature during the tests is given in Table 4.
Table 4. Measured temperature of the test specimen compared with the measured air
temperature in the heating oven.
Steel temperature Air temperature Steel temperature Air temperature
(OC) (OC) (OC) (OC)
20 20 400 432
50 96 450 470
100 173 500 509
150 226 550 551
200 268 600 600
250 310 650 650
300 352 700 700
350 392 750 750
Resistor elements
Fig.2. The transient state tensile testing device.
7
TEST RESULTS
Transient state tensile tests
Transient state tensile tests were carried out with two equal tests at each load level of 3,
20, 50, 80, 110, 140, 170, 200,230,260,290, 320 and 350 N/mm
2
. Thermal elongation
of the structural steel was determined with five tests at load level of 3N/mm
2
.
Heating rate in the transient state tests was l0C min-I Temperature was measured
accurately from the test specimen during the heating.
Test specimen was heated until the temperature was 750C or until breaking of the test
specimen. In the temperature-strain relationship, thermal elongation was subtracted from
the total strain. Final results were converted into stress-strain curves using the method
given in /5/ . The test method was in accordance with the standard /8/.
Temperature-strain relationships
Thermal elongation Elh has been considered by subtracting it from the total strain Etot :
Er; = Etot,Ti - Eth,Ti
where
Er; IS elongation at temperature T; ,
Etot,ri is total elongation at temperature T; and
Eth,Ti is thermal elongation at temperature T;.
(I)
Measured temperature-strain curves at stress levels of20-200 N/mm
2
are shown in Fig. 3
and at stress levels of230-380 N/mm
2
in Fig. 4.
8
800
700
600
Esoo
Cl)
5 400
~
~ 300
E
Cl)
1- 200
100
0
1. 2
-e:
/ ~
~
------
/((;
:::::---
}f
I
0 O.S
~
5.
-
1 . 20 N/mm
2
2. 50 N/mm
2
3. 80 Nlmm
2
I
4.110 Nlmm
2
5.140 Nlmm
2
6.170 Nlmm
2
7. 200 Nlmm
2
1.s 2 2s 3 as 4 ~ s s ~ s 6 as 7 ~ s 8 as
Strain(%)
Fig. 3. Temperature-strain curves at stress levels of 20-200 Nlmnl
600
E4oo
Cl)
5 300
l
I ~ /
!-----
~
(
!7 l/
v
::--
f----
f--
/
v--
~
~
)j
1/
I
1 0 230 Nlmrrf
-
2. 260 Ntmrrr
'r-
- 5.
_j
3. 290 Nlmrrf
-
6.
4. 320 Nlmrrf
soo
E 200
~
5. 350 Nlmm
2 '-----
6. 380 Nlmrrf
'
,________
~
100
0
0 O.S 1.S 2 2.S 3 3.S 4 4.S s S.S 6 6.S 7
Strain(%)
Fig.4. Temperature-strain curves at stress levels of 230-380 Nlmnl.
9
Thermal elongation
Thermal elongation of the structural steel was determined with five tests at load level of
3N/mm
2
Test specimen was heated with heating rate of 10C/min until temperature was
750C. Thermal elongation was measured during the heating process.
An analytical expression was fitted into the average test values by following equation:
(2)
where
~ 1 1 is relative thermal elongation and
T s is steel temperature.
The regression coefficient for equation (1) is 0. 9981. Results of the five tests and the
average are shown in Fig. 5. Average thermal elongation values of the five tests are
compared with the analytical expression in Fig. 6.
0.9
0.8
~
e...
0.7
~
0.6
c
0.5
0
~ 0.4
en
c
0
0.3
Qi
iii
0.2
e
Gl
.c
0.1
1-
0
....,.,..,
.--
0 100
~
~
v-----
d
~
.4ii
- Test1 .
~
- Test2.
~
~
- Test3.
~
~
- Test4.
,.
- Test5.
~
- Average value
200 300 400
Temperature (C)
500 600 700
-
~
c--
-
800
Fig. 5. Temperature dependence of thermal elongation of structural steel S355 (RAEX
37-52): Cun,esfromfive tests and the m
1
erage curve.
10
0.9

e...
0.8
5
0.7 <I
0.6
c
0.5

C) 0.4
c
0
0.3
Gi
;;;
0.2
E
CJ 0.1
.c
1-
0
.A>
_a/
_of)f}
)!Y





o Average (5 tests)


--t.tn = 5x1or,
2
+ 0.8x1o
5
r, -0.000197


0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
Temperature (C)
Fig. 6. Temperature dependence of thermal elongation of structural steel S355 (RAEX
37-52): The average curve and an analytical expression fitted into the average curve.
In the Laboratory of Steel Structures at Helsinki University of Technology, the1mal
elongation has been measured earlier for structural steel S235 (Fe360) and for cold-
formed sheet steel Z32. In this research it was measured for structural steel S355 (RAEX
37-52). The thermal elongation of all these steels differs from the values given in
Eurocode 3: Part 1.2 for structural steels. Comparison of the thermal elongation of these
three materials is shown in Fig. 7. The results for structural steels S235 and S355 are
compared with the thermal strain according to Eurocode 3: Part 1.2 in Fig. 8.
0.9 +----+----lf-----+-----1----f-----+----+-- --1
0.8

5 o.
6
5
.
;;;
E
0.2
CJ
.c
0.1
1-
0
8 0.
4
:--::-=-= Gi 0.3 + :-;.. 8355 (RAEX 37-52) -
- - - 5235 (Fe3608) -

-
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
Temperature (C)
Fig 7. Thennal elongation determined for structural steels S235 (Fe360) and S355
(RAEX 37-52) and for cold-formed steel Z32.
11
1.1 -
1


0.9
5 0.8
<]
0.7
c
0.6 0
i
0.5 Cl
c
0
0.4
Qj
;;;
0.3
E
-- - -- Eurocode 3: Part 1.2
0.2
--S355 (RAEX 37-52)
.c
1-
0.1
0
'-- - - - S235(Fe360B)


0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
Temperature ('C)
Fig. 8. Thermal elongation of structural steels S235 (Fe360) and S355 (RAEX 37-52)
compared with thermal elongation according to Eurocode 3: Part 1.2.
Stress-strain relationships
The transient state tensile test results converted into stress-strain curves at temperatures
100C-700C are shown in Fig. 9. Stress-strain curves for test material S3 55 (RAEX 3 7-
52) at temperatures 300C-700C are compared in Fig. l 0 with stress-strain curves given
in Eurocode 3: Part 1. 2 11/.
400
350
300
N"
E 250
.e

"'
150
U5
100
50
0
1.
!
2.
3. I--
I
v

r--
4. --
II v-:::

!----
'/
v f;
-
f/
--------
-
V-
--
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8

J1.100' C 2. 200'C 3. 300'C 4.400'C r
I 5. 500'C 6. 600'C 7. 700'C
1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2
strain (%)
Fig.9. Stress-strain cun,esjor test material S355 (RAEX 37-52) at temperatures IOOOC-
7000C.
12
4 0 0 . - - - - - - - - . - - - - ~ - - - - . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
--+--30oc - - - EC3t3ooc
-4ooc - -- - EC3t4ooc
-&-sooc - --- EC3t5ooc
--o--6ooc ----- EC3t6ooc
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2
Strain (%)
Fig. 10. Stress-strain cun,es for test material S355(RAEX 37-52) at temperatures
3000C-7000C compared with stress-strain curves of Eurocode 3: Part 1.2.
Modulus of elasticity
Modulus of elasticity of structural steel S355 (RAEX 37-52) was determined from the
stress-strain curves which were converted from the transient state test results. The
modulus of elasticity was determined as an initial slope of the stress-strain curves.
The modulus of elasticity for the steel material S355 (RAEX 37-52) at room temperature
was determined with six tensile tests and the average value of these tests was 210 600
N/mm
2
. The value given by the manufacturer is 206 000 N/mm
2
. The experimental value
is used as a reference value in analysing the transient state test results .
Test results at temperatures 20C - 700C are compared in Fig. 11 with the values of
mechanical properties given in Eurocode 3 Ill, in the European Recommendations for
the Fire Safety of Steel Structures /2/ and in the Finnish Code of Steel Structures /8/ .
13
--- RakMK B7
- - - - ECCSfTC3
- --- EC 3: Part1. 2
Test result s
--=::: :
~
0.9
~ 0. 8
>-
w 0.7
0
0.6
~
II) 0.5
~ __ - ,
~ ~
"'---
--- --'-:..::: -_
:I
'3
0.4
'0
0
E
0. 3
,.,
"' .l! 0.2
t;
..
0. 1
jjj ..... ....... ...... """"'
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Temperature ('C)
Fig. 11. Comparison of elasticity modulus ratio ETIE
2
o'C at temperatures 20 'C -700 'C.
Yield stress
Yield stress was determined for the test material S355 (RAEX 37-52) from the stress-
strain curves based on the transient state test results. Test results for yield stress cr
0
.
2
(Rpo.2), based upon 0.2% non-proportional extension as defined in /8/, are shown in
Fig.1 2. Test results are compared with the values for cr
0
.
2
according to the Eurocode 3
/1/ and with the values according to the Finnish Code /10/. Test results for yield stress
cro.s ,cr1.o and cr2.o , based upon total extension of 0.5%, 1.0% and 2. 0 % , are shown in
Figs. 13, 14 and 15. Test results are compared with the values for cro.s ,cr1.o and cr
2
.
0
according to the Eurocode 3: Part 1.2 /11. The reduction factors for effective yield
strength given in Eurocode 3 are based on values of yield stress cr
2
.o.
450
400
N'
350
E
~
300
::1 250
t>
II)
200
II)
~
150

100
>
--Test results
~
- -- EC 3 :Part 1.2
- ....... . -<:"'--::.
::::--........
- RakMK B7
----- ~
-
--
-
~ . : :
I'..
-
-
~
-
-
-._ ........... ..........
~
---
~ : : : . . ...........
50
~ .......
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Tern perature ('C)
Fig 12. Yield stress ao.lRpo2) for steel S355(RAEX 37-52) at temperatures 20 OC-700 OC.
14
450
N'
400
E

350
300
J
250
~
t1
200
~
150
i
100
:!!
..
50
>=
-- - Eurocode 3 : Part 1.2
r--
-........
- ~
--Test results
I--
~
-
-
-...

~
- - ~
...... _ ~
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
T emperature ("C)
Fig. 13. Yield stress cr
05
(R
10
.
5
) for steel S355(RAEX 37-52) at temperatures 20CC-
700CC.
450
I I
N'
400
E

350
...............
I
Test results
t
Eurocode 3: Part 1.2
,._
_ ,_
300
~
.

250
~
b 200
~
150

~
100
:!!
..
~
~
~
.......
~
....
>=
50
0 1-
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Temperature ("C)
Fig. 14. Yield stress O"to(RtJ.o) for steel S355(RAEX 37-52) at temperatures 20 CC- 700 CC.
450
400
N'
E
350
E
~
300
-,
r! 250
~
"
200
~
~
i
150
:!!
100
..
I
--Test results
Part 1.2 ~
-
I
Eurocode 3 :
~ ~
- - ~
~
~
< ~
>=
50
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Temperature ("C)
Fig. 15. Yield stress cr
2
.
0
{R
12
.
0
) for steel S355(RAEX 37-52) at temperatures 20 CC-
700CC.
15
Steady state tests
Steady state tensile tests were carried out for the test material S355 (RAEX 37-52) with
two equal tests at each temperature 400C, 500C and 600C.
Tensile tests were carried out as stress rate-controlled. The rate of loading was 0.52
(N/mm
2
)/s which caused a rate of strain of0.003 min-
1
in the test specimen.
Stress-strain relationships
Stress-strain curves measured from the steady state tests at temperatures 400C, 500C
and 600C are shown in Fig. 16. Stress-strain curves from the steady state tests are
compared with transient state test curves in Fig. 17.
500
450
400
~ 350
N
E 300
.E
~ 250
1/)
~ 200
iii
150
100
50
0
--
--
--

r--
,.--o---'
............
_...o---'
/
v/

if
~
~
rv
r-a-
ILf
~
0 0.2 0.4 06 0.8
Strain(%)
--
-
-
-steady state test 4ooc
,----
--o-- steady state test 500c ~
~ r steady state test 6ooc
-
1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2
Fig. 16. Stress-strain curves for steel S355 (RAEX 37-52) measured in the steady state
tests at temperatures 400 "C, 500 't.' and 600 't.'.
16
450
400
350
N" 300
E
.E 250

Ill
200
Ill
Ql
...
...
150
(/)
100
50

l


-- - - -

----
-- -
-x- ---
--
x-x- --

..
.---
----- -
....->t- - .::.:o--'
-----
-
----


---
,. .. -. -
Ill
v-- .. .. . ......
--------
-----
..........
/
...---..-
.
.. ..... -.
...........
...
...
rv

----
-x-Steady st. 4ooc - - - Trans.st. 4ooc
F.-
'!.
-o-Steady st. sooc - - Trans.st. sooc
--fr- Steady st. sooc Trans.st. 6ooc
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2
strain (%)
Fig. 17. Measured steady state stress-strain curves for steel S355 (RAEX 37-52) at
temperatures 400 't:', 500 't:' and 600 't:' compared with the measured transient state
curves.
Mechanical properties of the test material based on steady state data
Mechanical properties of the test material S355 (RAEX 37-52) determined with the
steady state data are given in Table 5.
Table 5. Mechanical properties of the test material S355 (RAEX 37-52) at temperatures
400C, 500C and 600C based on steady state data.
Temperature (C) Yield stress cro.2 Yield stress cro.s Ultimate stress fu
(N/mm
2
) (N/mm
2
) (N/mm
2
)
400 249.5 280.0 515.0
500 230.2 245.0 380.0
600 167.8 170.0 226.0
17
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors wish to acknowledge the support of the company Rautaruukki Oy in making
this experimental research project possible. The authors are especially grateful to Mr.
Jouko Kanerva M.Sc.(Eng) from the company Rautaruukki Oy for his efforts in
promoting and organizing this research programme.
REFERENCES
Ill European Committee for Standardisation (CEN), Eurocode 3: Design of steel
structures, Part 1.2 : Structural fire design, Brussels 1993.
/2/ European Convention for Constructional Steelwork (ECCS), European
Recommendations for the Fire Safety of Steel Structures, Elsevier Scientific Publishing
Company, Amsterdam 1983.
/3/ Preston R.R. ,ECCS, Technical Committee 3, The thermal expansion of structural
steels at elevated temperatures; A review of current data, Cleveland 1993.
/4/ Miller K.,Makelainen P., Mechanical properties of cold-rolled hot-dip zinc coated
sheet steel at elevated temperatures, Research report nr.58, Helsinki University of
Technology, Department of Civil Engineering, Espoo 1983.
!51 Narinen Pekka, Mechanical properties of structural steel at fire temperatures (in
Finnish), Master's Thesis, Helsinki University ofTechnology, Faculty of Civil
Engineering and Surveying, Espoo 1994.
/6/ Standard EN 10 002-2: Metallic materials. Tensile testing. Part 2: Verification on the
load cell of tensile testing machine, Brussels 1992.
171 Standard EN 10 002-4: Metallic materials. Tensile testing. Part 4: Verification of
extensometers used in uniaxial testing, Brussels 1992.
/8/ Standard SFS-EN 10 002-5: Metallic materials. Tensile testing. Part 5: Method of
testing at elevated temperature (in Finnish), Helsinki 1992.
/9/ Standard SFS-EN 10 025: Hot-rolled products ofnon-alloy structural steel (in
Finnish), Helsinki 1993.
11 Of Rakentarnismaarayskokoelma, ohjeet B7, Terasrakenteet (Finnish Codes of Building
Regulations, Code B7, Steel Structures), Helsinki 1987.
Jyri Outinen, Graduating student
Laboratory of Steel Structures
Helsinki University of Technology
18
Pentti Makelainen, Professor, Dr. Tech.
Laboratory of Steel Structures
Helsinki University of Technology