Behavior of concentrically braced steel frames under fire loading

Document Type : Article

Authors

1 Department of Civil Engineering, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

Knowing how a steel structure behaves under fire loading is of vital importance, given a large number of events in recent years have proved the vulnerability of steel structures under this type of hazard. Older concentrically braced frames have been widely used in buildings without observing seismic provisions and details. Although the vulnerability of this type of structural system, here referred to as non-seismic braced frames, has been studied under earthquake loading before, its behaviour under fire loading has not been investigated yet. This paper investigated the behaviour of global and local responses of the mentioned structural system under various uniform fire scenarios. The heating and cooling phases of fire were taken into account for different building stories using the finite element method. The results of analyses showed that the braces buckled at high temperatures due to the large compressive axial forces and expansion of lateral constraints. This phenomenon led to the early loss of lateral resistance of stories, which, in turn, resulted in the failure of columns. Consequently, the underlying floor collapsed under fire. The analysis results contribute to a better understanding of the behaviour of steel braced frames under fire conditions and the corresponding local and global responses.

Keywords


  1. References:

    1. O'Connor, M.A. and Martin, D.M. "Behaviour of a Multi-storey Steel Framed Building Subjected to Fire Attack". Vol. 46. 295-295 (1998).
    2. Gu, L. and Kodur, V. "Role of Insulation Effectiveness on Fire Resistance of Steel Structures under Extreme Loading Events". 25(4): p. 277-286 (2011).
    3. Huang, Z., Burgess, I.W. and Plank, R.J. "Three-Dimensional Analysis of Composite Steel-Framed Buildings in Fire". 126(3): p. 389-397 (2000).
    4. Liew, J.Y.R. and Ma, K.Y. "Advanced analysis of 3D steel framework exposed to compartment fire". 28(2‐4): p. 253-267 (2004).
    5. Saab, H.A. and Nethercot, D.A. "Modelling steel frame behaviour under fire conditions". Engineering Structures.Vol. 13(4): p. 371-382 (1991).
    6. Wang, Y.C. and Moore, D.B. "Steel frames in fire: analysis". Engineering Structures.Vol. 17(6): p. 462-472 (1995).
    7. Alderighi, E. and Salvatore, W. "Structural fire performance of earthquake-resistant composite steel–concrete frames". Engineering Structures.Vol. 31(4): p. 894-909 (2009).
    8. Sun, R., Huang, Z. and I.W. Burgess, "Progressive collapse analysis of steel structures under fire conditions". Engineering Structures.Vol. 34: p. 400-413 (2012).
    9. Jiang, J. and Li, G.Q. "Progressive collapse analysis of 3D steel frames with concrete slabs exposed to localized fire". Engineering Structure Journal.Vol. 149 p. 21–34 (2017).
    10. Jiang, B.H., Li, G.Q., Li, L.L. et al., "Simulations on progressive collapse resistance of steel moment frames under localized fire". Journal of Constraction Steel Research.Vol. 138 p. 380–388 (2017).
    11. Jiang, J. and Li, G.Q. "Disproportional collapse of 3D steel-framed structures exposed to various compartment fires". Journal of Constraction Steel Research.Vol. 138 p. 594–607 (2017).
    12. Wong, M.B., "Plastic Frame Analysis under Fire Conditions". ASCE’s Journal of Structural engineering.Vol. 127(3): p. 290-295 (2001).
    13. Wong, M.B., "Elastic and plastic methods for numerical modelling of steel structures subject to fire". Journal of Constructional Steel Research.Vol. 57(1): p. 1-14 (2001).
    14. Fang, C., Izzuddin, B.A., Obiala, R. et al., "Robustness of multi-storey car parks under vehicle fire". Journal of Constraction. Steel Research.Vol. 75 p. 72–84 (2012).
    15. Fang, C., Izzuddin, B.A., Elghazouli, A.Y. et al., "Robustness of multi-storey car parks under localised fire towards practical design recommendations". Journal of Constriction. Steel Research.Vol. 90: p. 193–208 (2013).
    16. Fang, C., Izzuddin, B.A., Elghazouli, A.Y. et al., "Simplified energy-based robustness assessment for steel-composite car parks under vehicle fire". Engineering Structure Journal.Vol. 49: p. 719–732 (2013).
    17. Lange, D., Roben, C. and Usmani, A.S. "Tall building collapse mechanisms initiated by fire: mechanisms and design methodology". Engineering Structure Journal.Vol. 36: p. 90– 103 (2012).
    18. Sun, R.R., Huang, Z.H. and Burgess, I. "The collapse behaviour of braced steel frames exposed to fire". Journal of Constriction. Steel Research.Vol. 72: p. 130–142 (2012).
    19. Behnam, B., "Failure Sensitivity Analysis of Tall Moment-Resisting Structures Under Natural Fires". International Journal of Civil Engineering.Vol. 16(12): p. 1771-1780 (2017).
    20. Behnam, B., "Fire Structural Response of the Plasco Building: A Preliminary Investigation Report". International Journal of Civil Engineering.Vol. 17: p. 563-580 (2018).
    21. Memari, M. and Mahmoud, H. "Multi-resolution analysis of the SAC steel frames with RBS connections under fire". Fire Safety Journal.Vol. 98: p. 90-108 (2018).
    22. Lou, G., Wang, C., Jiang, J. et al., "Fire tests on full-scale steel portal frames against progressive collapse". Journal of Constructional Steel Research.Vol. 145: p. 137–152 (2018).
    23. Uniform building code, ICBO, Whittier, California., (1988).
    24. Behnam, B. and Ronagh, H.R. "Post-Earthquake Fire performance-based behaviour of unprotected moment resisting 2D steel frames". KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering.Vol. 19(1): p. 274-284 (2014).
    25. Dassault Systèmes Simulia Corp, ABAQUS 6.14 Documentation. Dassault Systèmes Simulia Corp: RI, USA (2014).
    26. ASCE 7-10: Minimum design loads for buildings and other structures, American Society of Civil Engineers, Virginia, US, (2010)
    27. EN 1993-1-2, Eurocode3: Design of Steel Structures, Part1–2: GeneralRules- Structural Fire Design, European Committee for Normalization, (2005).
    28. Arasaratnam, P., K.S. Sivakumaran, and M.J. Tait, "True Stress-True Strain Models for Structural Steel Elements". 2011: p. 11 (2011).
    29. ISO 834: fire resistance test elements of building construction, International Organization for Standardization,, (1999).
    30. EN 1991-1-2, Eurocode1: Action on Structures – Part 1-2: General Actions – Actions on Structures Exposed to Fire, European Committee for Normalization, (2002).
    31. Memari, M., Mahmoud, H. and Ellingwood, B. "Post-earthquake fire performance of moment resisting frames with reduced beam section connections". Journal of Constructional Steel Research.Vol. 103: p. 215-229 (2014).
    32. Rackauskaite, E., Kotsovinos, P., Jeffers, A. et al., "Structural analysis of multi-storey steel frames exposed to travelling fires and traditional design fires". Engineering Structures.Vol. 150: p. 271-287 (2017).
    33. Quiel Spencer, E. and Garlock, E.M. "Modeling High-Rise Steel Framed Buildings under Fire". in ASCE Structures Congress. (2008).
    34. Rubert, A. and Schaumann, P. "Tragverhalten stählerner Rahmensysteme bei Brandbeanspruchung ". Stahlbau.Vol. 54: p. 280-287 ( September 1985).
    35. Ghosh, S.K., "Assessing ability of seismic structural systems to withstand progressive collapse: design of steel braced frame buildings",The National Institute of Standards and Technology, (2006).
    36. ANSI/AISC 341-05: Seismic provisions for structural steel buildings, American Institute of Steel Construction, Chicago, US, (2005).
    37. ASCE 7-05: Minimum design loads for buildings and other structures, American Society of Civil Engineers, Virginia, US, (2005).
    38. ANSI/AISC 360-05: Specifications for structural steel buildings, American Institute of Steel Construction, Chicago, US, (2005).
    39. AISC Steel construction manual, American Institute of Steel Construction, Chicago, US, (2006).
    40. International Building Code (IBC), International Code Council, (2006).
    41. Uriz, P., Towards Earthquake Resistant Design of Concentrically Braced Steel Structures. University of California: Berkeley, California (2005).
    42. Hsiao, P.C., Lehman, D.E. and Roeder, C.W. "Improved analytical model for special concentrically braced frames". Journal of Constructional Steel Research.Vol. 73: p. 80-94 (2012).
    43. Almand, K., Phan, L., McAllister, T. et al., "NET-SFPE Workshop for Development of a National R&D Roadmap for Structural Fire Safety Design and Retrofit of Structures",NlSTlR 7133 National Institute of Standards and Technology, (2004).
Volume 29, Issue 3
Transactions on Civil Engineering (A)
May and June 2022
Pages 951-963
  • Receive Date: 01 February 2020
  • Revise Date: 14 April 2021
  • Accept Date: 25 October 2021