Analysis of RC columns and shear walls in fire

Análise de pilares e pilares-parede de concreto armado ao incêndio

Abstract

Recent disasters have shown that the failure of columns or shear walls exposed to fire is the main cause of building collapse. The cross-sectional thermal gradient (TG) of these structures justifies the degree of their heating and also justifies their mechanical damage, but the influence of the number of heated surfaces on their TG is not well known in the literature. A numerical FE analysis was proposed for RC columns and shear walls, assuming five fire cases in terms of the number of heated sides: only the (i) smallest and (ii) largest side, (iii) two, (iv) three and (v) four sides subjected to fire for 120 min. In order to validate the FE models, full-scale specimens were tested experimentally. Based on the number of sides hated, these structures can have an FRR of more than 120 min in relation to the values proposed by the standards.

Keywords:
reinforced concrete; columns; shear walls; fire; structural design