Guidelines for Improving the Standard Fire Resistance Test Specifications

Abstract

The current approach of evaluating fire resistance is mainly through standard fire tests. The specifications for standard fire tests have a number of drawbacks and require only a limited amount of data to be collected during tests, and this is hindering the development of calculation methodologies for evaluating fire resistance. This paper discusses the various drawbacks in the current specifications for undertaking fire resistance tests. The improvements needed to make the standard fire resistance tests more effective and the collected test data more useful are outlined. Strategies for implementing the proposed recommendations (improvements) in test standards are illustrated with examples. Finally, the applicability of the proposed recommendations is illustrated by undertaking fire resistance tests on a midsized column and a midsized beam under improved test specifications. Data collected from these fire resistance tests is used to calibrate finite element based computer models, thus demonstrating the effectiveness of collecting additional test data.

Test methods for characterizing concrete properties at elevated temperature

“…At present, there is limited guidance in standards relating to test methods and procedures for undertaking thermal and mechanical property characterization of materials at elevated temperatures . Further, there is lack of equipment and instrumentation to measure many of the needed thermal and mechanical properties in the entire temperature range.…”

Analysis of composite steel and concrete columns at high temperatures

“…Until a few years ago, the standard procedure for researches working with concrete exposed to high temperatures in the laboratory was based only on International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 834 , but recently, some additional procedures have been proposed in the USA .…”