A proposal for a simple characterization of stainless steel connections through an equivalent yield strength

Notwithstanding some recent contributions, there still appears to be a gap in the literature regarding the express evaluation of the moment–rotation performance of some connections fabricated from austenitic, duplex, or ferritic stainless steel, such as flush end-plate connections (FEP). In the present work, moving from a previous proposal, the authors investigate a simple approach for the practical characterization of these connections. The results from industry standard software, which is dedicated to the analysis of connections based on the component method and widely used in engineering practice, are compared with the results from a more refined numerical model. It is found that, by using conventional carbon steel procedures with an ad hoc ideal material model, the results can be made in line with some experimentally validated numerical simulations for stainless steel. The findings are discussed in detail and may turn useful from both a design and an assessment standpoint.