This study investigates the microstructure, residual stress state, and the corresponding magnetic anisotropy of the ship structure samples made of S235 steel after uniaxial tensile deformation. A non-destructive magnetic technique based on Barkhausen noise is employed for fast and reliable monitoring of samples exposed to the variable degrees of plastic straining. It was found that the progressively developed plastic straining of the matrix results in an alteration of the easy axis of magnetization, stress anisotropy (expressed in residual stresses state) as well as the corresponding Barkhausen noise emission. Moreover, remarkable non-homogeneity can be found within the plastically strained region, especially when the localized plastic straining takes place.
