The impact of corrosion on the mechanical behavior of steel undergoing plastic deformation

In the present study the influence of the degree of plastic strain, due to various levels of plastic deformation during bending, on the mechanical properties of class BSt 500s tempcore steel was investigated, under various levels of salt spray corrosion. The resulted mass loss was of realistic levels and comparable to the one created by natural environmental causes. The results showed that even though an increase in plastic deformation resulted in an expected marginal increase in strength properties, it had a negative effect in ductility. The international community has not reached a consensus yet concerning the minimum required bending roll diameter, for stirrup production, which ranges between 4–10 times the diameter of the steel bar to be bent. It was also shown that this combination is crucial since strain fractures were recorded under the minimum required values set by the most current design guide‐lines and design oriented research. The results of this investigation are intended to offer an in depth understanding of the impact of the underestimated factor of corrosion on the mechanical properties of steel undergoing plastic deformation in corrosive environments and to show the need of re‐examination of existing codes.