Eight　specimens　were　tested　under　cyclic　loading　to　investigate　hysteretic　behaviour　of　stainless　steel　welded　box-section　columns.　Failure　modes,　plastic　development　capacity,　energy　dissipation　and　ductility　of　the　specimens　were　studied,　and　the　influence　of　the　width-to-thickness　ratio　as　well　as　the　axial　load　ratio　on　the　hysteretic　behaviour　were　analyzed.　The　test　results　obtained　herein　were　used　to　validate　finite　element　(FE)　models,　which　were　subsequently　employed　for　parametric　investigations　to　generate　further　data　about　the　hysteretic　behaviour　of　such　columns　over　a　wide　range　of　parameters　including　the　width-to-thickness　ratio,　the　axial　load　ratio　and　the　slenderness　ratio.　The　FE　results　were　utilised　to　assess　whether　codified　classification　limits　of　cross-section　in　1993-1-4　+A1　(2015)　are　also　applicable　for　stainless　steel　columns　subjected　to　combined　constant　axial　force　and　cyclic　loading.　The　test　results　indicate　that　with　larger　width-to-thickness　ratio　the　hysteresis　curve　becomes　less　plump,　the　ductility　coefficient　and　the　plastic　development　capacity　are　smaller;　whilst　effects　of　the　slenderness　ratio　are　not　significant;　the　influence　of　the　axial　load　ratio　on　the　plastic　development　capacity　is　related　to　the　width-to-thickness　ratio.　In　addition,　it　is　found　that　EN　1993-1-4　could　be　conservative　for　the　classification　of　the　stainless　steel　welded　box-section　columns　class　3　and　class　4　cross-sections　,　whereas　it　could　be　unsafe　for　the　classification　of　the　stainless　steel　welded　box-section　columns　class　1　cross-section.