Assessment of fire exposure on the load bearing capacity of basement storey walls

Abstract

This paper presents the numerical modelling of the fire exposure on structural element and its static analysis taking account of the material properties reduction due to elevated temperature.
 The reinforced concrete wall of basement storey was subjected to one side fire exposure.
 Advanced calculation methods were used to assess the fire exposure on the structural element as most reliable and approximate to fire test results. Thermal analysis was performed with LIRA-CAD software by the simulating of three main heat-transfer ways: thermal conductivity, convection and radiation. As a result of the thermal analysis, temperature distribution in the concrete and reinforcement parts of the structural element cross-section was obtained. The thermal analysis of the wall structural element was performed for 120 minutes in standard fire exposure. Reduction factors for the strength of concrete and reinforcement steel were determined based on the temperature distribution in the wall structural element cross-section. The cross-section is divided into a number of parallel zones of equal thickness where the mean temperature and the corresponding mean compressive strength is assessed according to the Zone method procedure. The fire damaged zone of thickness az at the fire exposed sides and reduced cross-section were obtained.
 Static analysis of the wall load-bearing capa-city was performed using the procedure applicable for normal temperature design. The Deformation method for normal temperature design taking to account concrete deformation was used. The Deformation method for normal design taken to account concrete deformation at every step of iteration was used. The reduced load-bearing capacity of the fire damaged wall taking into account residual concrete strength was calculated and relevant load-bearing capacity diagrams were determined.