The reliability of the proposed cross-section classification limits was verified by means of the EN 1990 — Annex D method.
The following classification, limited to living cnidarians, generally follows that used by D.G. Fautin in S.P. Parker (ed.), Synopsis and Classification of Living Organisms, vol. 1 (1982), and L.H. Hyman, The Invertebrates, vol. 1, Protozoa Through Ctenophora (1940).
However, despite 10 years of leaching experiments, neither the control nor the rice straw compost alone treatment reached the salinity and sodicity classification limits.
It was also observed that the current codified classification limits underestimate the ability of the stainless steel sections to develop plastic stresses.
The experimental results combined with the obtained numerical results were used to assess the suitability of the current European (EN 1993-1-1 and EN 1993-1-12) classificationclimitsication limits for HSS structural components.
For design, cross-section slenderness parameters have been proposed and a set of classification limits in harmony with those given in Eurocode 3 for circular hollow sections (CHS) has been derived.
Four three-point and eight four-point bending tests are also reported for the assessment of current codified and revised cross-sectional classification limits, analysing the different methods for the prediction of the ultimate bending capacities of ferritic hollow sections.
The analysis indicates that Class 1 cross-sectional classification limits are too optimistic for ferritic stainless steels and further research is needed for the extension of plastic design to these grades, although promising predictions of ultimate loads are obtained for austenitic and lean duplex stainless steels.
Saturated electrical conductivity (ECe) and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) values of soils treated with gypsum, or gypsum + rice straw compost, reached the salinity and sodicity classification limits of 4 dS m− 1 and 15% (US Salinity Laboratory Staff, 1954), respectively, after eight years of leaching experiments.
The obtained experimental and numerical results, together with the results of previous tests performed on lean duplex stainless steel cold-formed hollow sections are reported and used to assess the applicability of existing cross-section classification limits and the continuous strength method (CSM) to lean duplex stainless steel.
