Tests　on　a　total　of　15　welded　stainless　steel　I-section　stub　columns　under　axial　compression　were　conducted,　including　austenitic　grade　S30408　and　duplex　grade　S22253.　The　local　buckling　behavior　and　load-carrying　capacity　of　the　test　specimens　were　studied,　and　the　cross-sectional　stress-strain　curves　were　obtained.　It　is　revealed　that　the　load-carrying　capacity　of　test　specimens　with　stocky　sections　is　higher　than　the　corresponding　cross-sectional　yield　capacity,　revealing　significant　nonlinear　and　strain　hardening　characteristics.　Meanwhile,　due　to　local　plate　buckling,　the　ultimate　load-carrying　capacity　of　test　specimens　with　slender　sections　can　not　reach　the　cross-sectional　yield　capacity,　with　strength　reduction　being　required.　The　obtained　test　strengths　and　other　existing　test　data　were　used　to　evaluate　the　current　design　methods,　including　the　effective　width　method　in　EN　1993-1-4　and　SEI/ASCE　8-02　and　the　direct　strength　method　(DSM).　The　load-carrying　capacities　from　EN　1993-1-4　and　DSM　are　generally　conservative　for　the　test　specimens,　while　the　SEI/ASCE　8-02　provisions　provide　overestimated　strength　predictions　for　the　slender　sections,　revealing　relatively　higher　scatter.　©,　2015,　Science　Press.　All　right　reserved.