Cyclic Deformation Characteristics of Laser-Cladding Additively Manufactured 316L Stainless Steel: An Experimental Evaluation

Abstract Laser cladding (LC) is a 3D printing technology that has been increasingly applied to the repair and strengthening of civil engineering structures. However, research on the cyclic performance of laser-clad materials is currently limited. Therefore, 11 specimens were fabricated using LC technology, and experiments were conducted to investigate the mechanical properties and hysteretic behavior of the LC material under different cyclic loading protocols. The experimental results show that laser-clad 316L stainless steel has excellent energy dissipation capacity. LC 316L stainless steel subjected to cyclic loading demonstrates mixed hardening behavior, including isotropic hardening and kinematic hardening, along with a pronounced Bauschinger effect. The envelope curve of 316L stainless steel under cyclic loading differs from its monotonic tensile curve, with the Ramberg–Osgood model proving effective in characterizing the envelope behavior. The elastic modulus of 316L stainless steel initially decreases during the first few loading cycles before stabilizing with accumulated plastic strain. The Chaboche model was implemented to predict the stress–strain response of LC 316L stainless steel, with parameter calibration and subsequent validation confirming the predictive accuracy of the model.