Experimental and numerical investigation of 304L stainless profile behaviors under bending test with different loading conditions

In this study, the behavior of 304 L grade stainless steel under three-point and four-point bending loads was investigated both experimentally and numerically. For this purpose, 304L grade stainless steel profiles with circular and square cross-sectional geometries, which are commonly used in industrial applications and frequently encountered in the literature, were examined. Within the scope of the study, three-point and four-point bending tests were experimentally conducted using support spans of 140 mm, 160 mm, and 180 mm, and a punch radius of 5 mm. As a result of the experimental studies, it was determined that the force required to bend the material decreased as the support span increased. In the second stage of the study, finite element analyses were performed using the Hill-48 and Barlat-89 plasticity models. The force-displacement curves and the deformed specimen shapes obtained from the finite element analyses were compared with the experimental results. As a result of this comparison, it was observed that the deformed specimen geometries were consistent with each other while force-displacement curves of finite element analyses predicted less force values than experimental results. In the future studies, it is recommended that advanced plasticity models can be used.