Behaviour of composite floor plates during the cooling phase of a fire
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Edinburgh
Department Name: Sch of Engineering
Abstract
SUMMARYUnderstanding structural behaviour of buildings during a fire is accepted as being essential to make full use of the recently introduced performance-based design codes. However, currently the behaviour of buildings during the cooling phase of a fire is poorly understood. Evidence from full-scale tests and real fires has shown that collapse of buildings can occur during the cooling stage of the fire, which can compromise the safety of firefighters and the public in the proximity of the building. This joint project between Manchester and Edinburgh University, will investigate the behaviour of cooling steel-concrete composite structures to gain an understanding of their behaviour and the underlying mechanics. The project includes testing of composite slabs, subject to different axial restraint conditions and natural fire scenarios, to obtain a unique understanding of forces generated within the structure during the cooling stage of a fire. Working in parallel to the experimental phase of the project, existing numerical models will be extended to simulate structural behaviour during the cooling phase. Once validated, the numerical models will allow an understanding of the behaviour of complete structures during the full duration of the fire, significantly advancing the current modelling capabilities which concentrate on the behaviour up to the fire's estimated maximum temperature. The results from the complex models, together with the experimental results, will allow simple design rules to be developed to ensure that buildings do not collapse during the cooling stage of the fire, thus ensuring the required level of safety for both firefighters and the public.
Publications
Ervine A.
(2010)
Thermal behaviour of damaged reinforced concrete in fire
in 9th US National and 10th Canadian Conference on Earthquake Engineering 2010, Including Papers from the 4th International Tsunami Symposium
Law A
(2011)
The influence of travelling fires on a concrete frame
in Engineering Structures
Gales J
(2011)
Unbonded post tensioned concrete in fire: A review of data from furnace tests and real fires
in Fire Safety Journal
Law A
(2011)
Structural Engineering and Fire Dynamics: Advances at the Interface
in Fire Safety Science
Röben C
(2010)
Structural behaviour during a vertically travelling fire
in Journal of Constructional Steel Research
Ervine A
(2012)
Thermal Propagation through Tensile Cracks in Reinforced Concrete
in Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Gales J
(2011)
Unbonded Post Tensioned Concrete Slabs in Fire - Part II - Modelling Tendon Response and the Consequences of Localized Heating
in Journal of Structural Fire Engineering
Gales J
(2011)
Unbonded Post Tensioned Concrete Slabs in Fire - Part I - Experimental Response of Unbonded Tendons under Transient Localized Heating
in Journal of Structural Fire Engineering
Sharma U
(2014)
Testing of Full-scale RC Frame under Simulated Fire Following Earthquake
in Journal of Structural Fire Engineering
Law A.
(2010)
The influence of travelling fires on the response of a concrete frame
in Structures in Fire - Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference, SiF'10
Description | The behaviour of a wide range of building structures in fire and how they might be better designed and analysed for public safety |
Exploitation Route | They can be used by engineering design consultants for the design of building structures to resist fire |
Sectors | Construction Environment |
Description | They have been used to better design structures to resist fire. |
First Year Of Impact | 2010 |
Sector | Construction |
Impact Types | Societal Economic |
Description | Corus Construction Centre |
Organisation | Tata Steel Europe |
Department | Tata Steel in Construction |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
Start Year | 2007 |
Description | Ove Arup Ltd |
Organisation | Arup Group |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
Start Year | 2007 |