The Effects of Corrosion Damage on the Square Hollow Steel Section (SHSS) Profiles: An Experimental and Numerical Investigation

Steel elements may experience a decrease in strength and load-carrying capacity over time due to environmental effects, with corrosion damage, a significant risk for steel, leading to section and mass losses in the element. This study examined the changes in the bending and compressive strengths of square hollow steel sections (SHSS) made of S235JR steel. These SHSS are commonly used to form various load-bearing components in steel structures found in industrial buildings, warehouses, workshops, factories, piers, coastal areas, offshore installations, transportation, tourism, and more. The study involved subjecting these SHSS to an accelerated corrosion process at different rates (10–20%) to simulate the effects of environmental degradation. To assess the impact of corrosion and potential reinforcements, these elements' bending and compressive behaviors were investigated in this research, performed repair and reinforcement using three different materials: glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP), carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP), and basalt fiber-reinforced polymer (BFRP) on SHSS specimens that had experienced 10% and 20% mass loss due to corrosion. In the instances of 10% and 20% corrosion, the reference specimen, when reinforced with BFRP, CFRP, and GFRP, exhibited the highest compressive strength in the CFRP-reinforced profile, with increases of 17.8% and 7.5%, respectively. When the reference specimen was reinforced with BFRP, CFRP, and GFRP, the highest flexural strength was observed in the CFRP-reinforced profile in the cases of 10% and 20% corrosion, with increases in 34.5% and 45.6%, respectively.