Assessment and recommendations for residual stress distributions in castellated steel members: an experimental investigation

Castellated members, formed by cutting and welding hot-rolled I-section members, exhibit a complex residual stress distribution. This study aimed to comprehensively examine residual stress distributions throughout the production process. Using two types of Q235B hot-rolled I-section members, encompassing 10 specimens, the entire manufacturing process of castellated members was represented. Employing a sectioning method, residual stresses were measured at key stages: the parent member, the halved member after cutting, and the completed castellated member after welding. Results illustrated the evolution of residual stresses during cutting and welding, revealing that the peak residual stress in the castellated member exceeded that of parent members, with certain sections potentially closing to yielding strength. Consequently, leveraging the measured data, this study established residual stress distributions at specific sections—tee section and web post—of both the halved and completed castellated members. These distributions, aligned with test results, provide a foundational understanding for subsequent investigations into the strength of castellated members.