The　present　investigation　studies　the　overall　stability　bearing　capacities　of　stainless　steel　welded　I-section　beams.　Experimental　tests　of　8　specimens　have　been　conducted.　In　addition,　complementary　finite　element　(FE)　models,　which　have　been　validated　by　the　test　results,　are　adopted　to　calculate　the　overall　stability　bearing　capacities　of　the　beams.　Based　on　the　results　of　FE　analyses　and　experimental　tests,　as　well　as　the　comparisons　of　design　standards　for　buckling　reduction　factor　calculations　of　stainless　steel　structural　components,　two　calculation　methods　for　buckling　reduction　factors　of　welded　I-section　beams　are　proposed.　One　is　the　modification　of　Chinese　code　for　design　of　steel　structures,　and　the　other　is　regressed　by　the　FE　analysis　results.　Both　methods　are　conservative　and　have　simple　formulations　for　engineering　design.　(C)　2014　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.