Mechanical Properties of Low Yield Point Steels

The vibration of buildings due to earthquake or wind can be reduced by hysteresis damping of structural members, and low yield point steel is one of the most efficient damping materials. One conventional mild steel, one modified mild steel, and two low yield point steels were low-cycle fatigue tested. The following findings were obtained: (1) the low-cycle fatigue strength (i.e., the relationship of strain to number of cycles to failure) of the low yield point steels can be expressed by the Manson-Coffin equation; (2) the strain rate exerts a small effect on the low-cycle fatigue properties of the low yield point steels; (3) the cumulative energy absorption capacity of the low yield point steels to failure varies from type to type (that of the mild steels is superior to that of the low yield point steels with strain amplitudes of larger than 0.8%); and (4) with strain amplitude of less than 0.7%, the cumulative energy absorption capacity of the low yield point steels is much higher than that of the mild steels.