Hybrid Simulation of Small-Scale Steel Braced Frame Subjected to Fire and Fire Following Earthquake
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 146, Issue 1
Abstract
Various studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of employing different fire protection strategies in reducing damage and losses associated with fire events in conventional buildings. However, studies geared toward understanding structural vulnerability due to fire following an earthquake, as a result of failure of the fire protection systems in a seismic event, are scarce. This study investigated the fire performance of a steel structure in two different scenarios: without a prior earthquake event, and with residual deformation from an earthquake event. To understand the fire performance of a structure that has been subjected to an earthquake, three different levels of seismic intensities were considered, represented by interstory drift ratios. To realistically simulate the structural behavior when subjected to elevated temperature, a hybrid fire simulation method was adopted in which a column was modeled physically and subjected to temperature and mechanical loads, whereas the remainder of the structure was modeled numerically. Due to laboratory constraints, a small-scale structure was used to illustrate the developed framework and demonstrate the potential effect of an earthquake on fire performance of a building. The test results showed that smaller axial deformation but larger force developed in the physical column when it was not subjected to an interstory drift prior to the fire event. On the other hand, columns with higher levels of residual interstory drift experienced larger vertical deformation and smaller axial force, and failed earlier than those with lower interstory drift. Based on the preliminary findings from this study, further investigations are recommended to quantify the effect of interstory drifts from seismic events on fire vulnerability of various types and configurations of structural steel systems. Full-scale hybrid simulations can serve as a valuable tool to gain insight into the behavior of these various systems.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge Prof. John D. Williams at Colorado State University (CSU) for providing the temperature data loggers. Additionally, Kevin Cameron’s support at the Engineering Research Center at CSU is highly appreciated. The authors also acknowledge the support received from the laboratory personnel at the Structural Laboratory at CSU. The researchers at the University of Toronto were partially supported by the Ontario Early Researcher Award.
References
Agarwal, A., and A. H. Varma. 2014. “Fire induced progressive collapse of steel building structures: The role of interior gravity columns.” Eng. Struct. 58 (Jan): 129–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2013.09.020.
AISC. 2016. Specification for structural steel buildings. AISC 360. Chicago: AISC.
ASCE. 2016. Minimum design loads for buildings and other structures. ASCE 7. Reston, VA: ASCE.
ASTM. 2016. Standard test methods for fire tests of building construction and materials. ASTM E119. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
Bousias, S., A. Sextos, O. Kwon, O. Taskari, A. Elnashai, N. Evangeliou, and L. Di Sarno. 2019. Intercontinental hybrid simulation for the assessment of a three-span R/C highway overpass.” J. Earthquake Eng. 23 (7): 1194–1215. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632469.2017.1351406.
Braxtan, N. L., and P. S. Pessiki. 2011. “Postearthquake fire performance of sprayed fire-resistive material on steel moment frames.” J. Struct. Eng. 137 (9): 946–953. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0000441.
British Steel. 1998. The behaviour of a multi-storey steel framed building subjected to fire attack. Rotherham, UK: British Steel, Swinden Technology Center.
CEN (European Committee for Standardization). 2002. Action on structures. Part 1–2: General actions—Actions on structures exposed to fire. EN 1991-1-2: Eurocode 1. Brussels, Belgium: CEN.
CEN (European Committee for Standardization). 2005. Design of steel structures. Part 1–2: General rules—Structural fire design. Eurocode 3. Brussels, Belgium: CEN.
Chen, H., and J. Y. Liew. 2005. “Explosion and fire analysis of steel frames using mixed element approach.” J. Eng. Mech. 131 (6): 606–616. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9399(2005)131:6(606).
Di Sarno, L., and A. S. Elnashai. 2009. “Bracing systems for seismic retrofitting of steel frames.” J. Constr. Steel Res. 65 (2): 452–465. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2008.02.013.
Foutch, D. A., and S. Y. Yun. 2002. “Modeling of steel moment frames for seismic loads.” J. Constr. Steel Res. 58 (5–8): 529–564. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0143-974X(01)00078-5.
Garlock, M. E., and S. Selamet. 2010. “Modeling and behavior of steel plate connections subject to various fire scenarios.” J. Struct. Eng. 136 (7): 897–906. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0000179.
Gupta, A., and H. Krawinkler. 1999. “Seismic demands for performance evaluation of steel moment resisting frame structures.” Ph.D. dissertation, John A. Blume Earthquake Engineering Center, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford Univ.
Huang, X., and O. S. Kwon. 2018. “A generalized numerical/experimental distributed simulation framework.” J. Earthquake Eng. 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632469.2018.1423585.
Kammula, V., J. Erochko, O. Kwon, and C. Christopoulos. 2014. “Application of hybrid-simulation to fragility assessment of the telescoping self-centering energy dissipative bracing system.” Earthquake Eng. Struct. Dyn. 43 (6): 811–830. https://doi.org/10.1002/eqe.2374.
Keller, W. J., and S. Pessiki. 2012. “Effect of earthquake-induced damage to spray-applied fire-resistive insulation on the response of steel moment-frame beam-column connections during fire exposure.” J. Fire. Prot. Eng. 22 (4): 271–299. https://doi.org/10.1177/1042391512461126.
Kodur, V. K. R., M. Naser, P. Pakala, and A. Varma. 2013. “Modeling the response of composite beam–slab assemblies exposed to fire.” J. Constr. Steel Res. 80 (Jan): 163–173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2012.09.005.
Korzen, M., G. Magonette, and P. Buchet. 1999. “Mechanical loading of columns in fire tests by means of the substructuring method.” Z. Für Angew. Math. Mech. 79: S617–S618.
Korzen, M., K. U. Ziener, and S. Riemen. 2002. “Some remarks on the substructuring method applied to fire resistance tests of columns.” In Proc., World Congress on Housing, Housing Construction—An Interdisciplinary Task. Coimbra, Portugal: Wide Dreams.
Krawinkler, H. 1978. “Shear in beam-column joints in seismic design of steel frames.” AISC Eng. J. 15 (3): 82–91.
Lennon, T. 2003. “Whole building behavior—Results from a series of large scale tests.” In Proc., Task Group on Tall Buildings: CIB TG50, edited by F. Shafii, R. Bukowski, and R. Klemencic, 345–351. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: CIB-CTBUH.
Mahmoud, H., B. Ellingwood, C. Turbert, and M. Memari. 2015. “Response of steel reduced beam section connections exposed to fire.” J. Struct. Eng. 142 (1): 04015076. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0001340.
Mahmoud, H., A. Elnashai, B. Spencer, O. Kwon, and D. Bennier. 2013. “Hybrid simulation for earthquake response of semi-rigid partial-strength steel frames.” J. Struct. Eng. 139 (7): 1134–1148. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0000721.
Mao, C. J., Y. J. Chiou, P. A. Hsiao, and M. C. Ho. 2009. “Fire response of steel semi-rigid beam–column moment connections.” J. Constr. Steel Res. 65 (6): 1290–1303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2008.12.009.
Memari, M., and H. Mahmoud. 2014. “Performance of steel moment resisting frames with RBS connections under fire loading.” Eng. Struct. 75 (Sep): 126–138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2014.05.040.
Memari, M., and H. Mahmoud. 2018. “Multi-resolution analysis of the SAC steel frames with RBS connections under fire.” Fire Saf. J. 98 (Jun): 90–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2018.04.008.
Memari, M., H. Mahmoud, and B. Ellingwood. 2014. “Post-earthquake fire performance of moment resisting frames with reduced beam section connections.” J. Constr. Steel Res. 103: 215–229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2014.09.008.
Morovat, M. A., M. D. Engelhardt, E. M. Taleff, and T. Helwig. 2011. “Importance of time-dependent material behavior in predicting strength of steel columns exposed to fire.” Appl. Mech. Mater. 82: 350–355.
Mostafaei, H. 2013a. “Hybrid fire testing for assessing performance of structures in fire—Application.” Fire Saf. J. 56 (Feb): 30–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2012.12.003.
Mostafaei, H. 2013b. “Hybrid fire testing for assessing performance of structures in fire—Methodology.” Fire Saf. J. 58 (May): 170–179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2013.02.005.
Newman, G. M., J. T. Robinson, and C. G. Bailey. 2000. Fire safe design, a new approach to multi-storey steel framed buildings: SCI P-288. Ascot, UK: Steel Construction Institute.
Pucinotti, R., O. S. Bursi, and J. F. Demonceau. 2011a. “Post-earthquake fire and seismic performance of welded steel-concrete composite beam-to-column joints.” J. Constr. Steel Res. 67 (9): 1358–1375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2011.03.006.
Pucinotti, R., O. S. Bursi, J.-M. Franssen, and T. Lennon. 2011b. “Seismic-induced fire resistance of composite welded beam-to-column joints with concrete-filled tubes.” Fire Saf. J. 46 (6): 335–347.
Rackauskaite, E., P. Kotsovinos, A. Jeffers, and G. Rein. 2017. “Structural analysis of multi-storey steel frames exposed to travelling fires and traditional design fires.” Eng. Struct. 150 (Nov): 271–287. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2017.06.055.
Robert, F. 2008. “Comportement des bétons sous haute température et en cas d’incendie: Caractérisation multi-échelle.” Ph.D. thesis, Dept. of Civil Engineering, L’Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan.
Robert, F., S. Rimlinger, and C. Collignon. 2010. “Structure fire resistance: A joint approach between modelling and full scale testing (substructuring system).” In Proc., 3rd fib Int. Congress. Chicago: Precast Prestressed Concrete Institute.
Schulthess, P., M. Neuenschwander, M. Knoblock, and M. Fontana. 2016. “Consolidated fire analysis—Coupled thermo-mechanical modelling for global structural fire analysis.” In Proc., 9th Int. Conf. on Structures in Fire, 819–826. Lancaster, PA: DESTech Publications.
Selamet, S., and M. E. Garlock. 2014. “Fire resistance of steel shear connections.” Fire Saf. J. 68 (Aug): 52–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2014.05.016.
Sun, R., Z. Huang, and I. W. Burgess. 2012. “Progressive collapse analysis of steel structures under fire conditions.” Eng. Struct. 34 (Jan): 400–413. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2011.10.009.
Tondini, N., G. Abbiati, L. Possidente, and B. Stojadinovic. 2016. “A static partitioned solver for hybrid fire testing.” In Proc., 9th Int. Conf. on Structures in Fire, 819–826. Lancaster, PA: DESTech Publications.
Wang, X., R. Kim, O. Kwon, and I. Yeo. 2018a. “Hybrid simulation method for a structure subjected to fire and its application to a steel frame.” J. Struct. Eng. 144 (8): 04018118. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0002113.
Wang, X., R. Kim, O. Kwon, I. Yeo, and J. Ahn. 2018b. “Continuous real-time hybrid simulation method for structures subject to fire.” J. Struct. Eng. 145 (12): 04019152. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0002436.
Wang, X., R. Kim, O. Kwon, I. Yeo, and J. Ahn. 2018c. “Performance assessment of a structure through hybrid (numerical-experimental) simulation.” In Proc., Structures in Fire. Antrim, UK: Ulster Univ.
Wang, Y. C., and D. B. Moore. 1995. “Steel frames in fire: Analysis.” Eng. Struct. 17 (6): 462–472. https://doi.org/10.1016/0141-0296(95)00047-B.
Whyte, C. A., K. R. Mackie, and B. Stojadinovici. 2016. “Hybrid simulation of thermomechanical structural response.” J. Struct. Eng. 142 (2): 04015107. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0001346.
Wong, M. B. 2001. “Elastic and plastic methods for numerical modelling of steel structures subject to fire.” J. Constr. Steel Res. 57 (1): 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0143-974X(00)00012-2.
Zhan, H., and O. Kwon. 2015. “Actuator controller interface program for pseudo-dynamic hybrid simulation.” In Proc., Advances in Structural Engineering Mechanics. Daejeon, Korea: Techno-Press.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 146 • Issue 1 • January 2020
Copyright
©2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 13, 2018
Accepted: May 3, 2019
Published online: Nov 12, 2019
Published in print: Jan 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Apr 12, 2020
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.