Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Finite-Element Analysis of Isolated and Integrated Structural Steel Members Exposed to Fire

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Iranian Journal of Science and Technology, Transactions of Civil Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Ambiguities in current fire design codes have triggered conflicting responses from researchers and professionals about steel buildings in fire. This is because fire codes do not consider the integrated structure of the building, but are based on the tests and models of the individual structural members of a construction subjected to a standard fire (ISO 834 or ASTM E 119). This study designed a four-story steel frame structure containing five bays with a bay span of 12 m and a height of 3.5 m according to Eurocode 3, considering all joints as being simply supported. Four different fire scenarios were modeled with reference to members of the assembled structure utilizing the Vulcan software package considering standard and parametric fire curves on exposed and protected sections. The results were compared with those obtained by exposing to the same fire curves an isolated beam member equal to those belonging to the frame under investigation. The comparison shows that the assembled members in the modeled structure had a better fire performance than did the isolated members. Because connections are important components of structures, we believe that the effects of connections on the fire performance of structures should be studied in the future.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bailey CG (1995) Simulation of the structural behavior of steel-framed buildings in fire. PhD thesis, University of Sheffield

  • Bailey CG (1998a) Computer modeling of the corner compartment fire test on the large-scale cardington test frame. J Constr Steel Res 48(1):27–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bailey CG (1998b) Development of computer software to simulate the structural behavior of steel-framed buildings in fire. Comput Struct 67(6):421–438

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bailey CG (2007) Fire design of steel framed structures steel and composite structures. Leiden: Taylor & Francis/Balkema 1:57–65

    Google Scholar 

  • BS 476–20 (1987) Fire tests on building materials and structures, method for determination of the fire resistance of elements of construction, Part 20. BSI, Milton Keynes

    Google Scholar 

  • BS 476–21 (1987) Fire tests on building materials and structures, methods for determination of the fire resistance of load bearing elements of construction, Part 21. BSI, Milton Keynes

    Google Scholar 

  • BS 476–22 (1987) Fire tests on building materials and structures, methods for determination of the fire resistance of non-load bearing elements of construction, Part 22. BSI, Milton Keynes

    Google Scholar 

  • BS 476–23 (1987) Fire tests on building materials and structures methods for determination of the contribution of components to the fire resistance of a structure, Part 23. BSI, Milton Keynes

    Google Scholar 

  • BS 476–24 (1987) Fire tests on building materials and structures method for determination of the fire resistance of ventilation ducts, Part 24. BSI, Milton Keynes

    Google Scholar 

  • BS En 1363–1 (1999) Fire resistance tests, general requirements. BSI, Milton Keyons

    Google Scholar 

  • Eurocode 1 (2002a) Actions on structures - part 1–1: general actions - densities, self-weight, imposed loads for buildings. European Committee for Standardization (CEN), Brussels

    Google Scholar 

  • Eurocode 1 (2002b) Actions on structures Part 1–2: general actions - actions on structures exposed to fire, BSI, BS EN 1991–1–2. European Standard, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Eurocode 2 (2004a) Design of concrete structures - part 1.1: general rules and rules for buildings. European Committee for Standardization (CEN), Brussels

    Google Scholar 

  • Eurocode 2 (2004b) Design of concrete structures - part 1.2: general rules - structural fire design. European Committee for Standardization (CEN), Brussels

    Google Scholar 

  • Eurocode 3 (2005a) Design of steel structures-part 11: general rules and rules for buildings. European Committee for Standardization (CEN), Brussels

  • Eurocode 3 (2005b) Design of steel structures-part 1.2: general rules for structural fire design. European Committee for Standardization (CEN), Brussels

  • Eurocode 3 (2005c) Design of steel structures-part 1.8: design of joints. European Committee for Standardization (CEN). Brussels

  • Eurocode 4 (2006a) Design of composite steel and concrete structures: part 1.1: general rules and rules for buildings. European Committee for Standardization (CEN), Brussels

  • Eurocode 4 (2006b) Design of composite steel and concrete structures: part 1.2: general rules, structural fire design. European Committee for Standardization (CEN), Brussels

  • Fitzgerald P, Mawhinney J, Slye O (2003) Water-based fire suppression, history of fire protection engineering. National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA

    Google Scholar 

  • ISO 834 (1987) Fire resistance tests - elements of building construction. International Organization for Standardization, Switzerland

  • ISO 834–1 (1999) Fire resistance tests-elements of building construction-part 1: general requirements. International Organization for Standardization, Switzerland

  • Ji G (2004) Handbook of comparative world steel standards. China Standard Press, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirby BR (1986) Recent developments and applications in structural fire engineering design—a review. Fire Saf J 11(3):141–179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lawson RM, Newman GM (1990) Fire resistant design of steel structures: a handbook to BS 5950: Part 8. The Steel Construction Institute, Ascot

    Google Scholar 

  • Lennon T (1996) Cardington fire tests: instrumentation locations for large compartment fire test. Building Research Establishment, Watford, Report N100/95

  • Lennon T, Moore D (2003) The natural fire safety concept - full-scale tests at cardington. Fire Saf J 38(7):623–643

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Najjar SR, Burgess IW (1996) A non-linear analysis for 3-dimensional steel frames in fire conditions. Eng Struct 18:77–89

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Niazi MUK (2010) Structural behavior under standard and parametric fires on exposed and protected sections. Master’s thesis, University of Sheffield

  • Richardson K (2003) Historical evolution of fire protection engineering, history of fire protection engineering. National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA

    Google Scholar 

  • Saab HA, Nethercot DA (1991) Modelling steel frame behavior under fire conditions. Eng Struct 13:371–382

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vila Real PMM, Franssen J-M (2000) Lateral torsional buckling of steel i-beams in case of fire – numerical modeling. In: First international workshop: structures in fire, Copenhagen – June 2000, pp 71–94

  • Vila Real PMM, Lopes N, Simões da Silva L, Franssen J-M (2004) Lateral-torsional buckling of unrestrained steel beams under fire conditions: improvement of EC3 proposal. Comput Struct 82(20–21):1737–1744

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vila Real PMM, Lopes N, Simões da Silva L, Franssen J-M (2008) Lateral-torsional buckling of stainless steel i-beams in case of fire. J Constr Steel Res 64(11):1302–1309

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wald F (2007) Fire engineering of steel structures. Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic

    Google Scholar 

  • Wald F, Simões da Silva L, Moore DB, Lennon T, Chladná M, Santiago A, Beneš M, Borges L (2006) Experimental behavior of a steel structure under natural fire. Fire Saf J 41(7):509–522

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang YC (2002) Steel and composite structures: behavior and design for fire safety. Spon Press, London

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia, for the financial support under the annual research project (Grant No. 130111).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, King Faisal University (KFU), P. O. Box 380, Al-Hofuf, Al-Ahsa, 31982, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    M. N. Amin & M. U. K. Niazi

Authors
  1. M. N. Amin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. U. K. Niazi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. N. Amin.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Amin, M.N., Niazi, M.U.K. Finite-Element Analysis of Isolated and Integrated Structural Steel Members Exposed to Fire. Iran J Sci Technol Trans Civ Eng 44 (Suppl 1), 35–49 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40996-020-00464-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40996-020-00464-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation