Thermal and Mechanical Response of Partially Protected Steel I-Beam under Fire

Abstract

Offshore and onshore structures continuously experience hydrocarbon fire accidents almost every year. To secured structure against extreme fire conditions, passive fire protection (PFP) is applied. However, PFP is a costly material which is applied only on critical structural members. Any unprotected surface can cause major structural damages during fire incidence if the behaviour of an unprotected surface is unknown. Usually, PFP applied easily around the column, but for beams, the application varies with the beam locations. In this paper the behaviours of steel beam compared with three different common scenarios such as fully protected, unprotected and partially protected under hydrocarbon fire. Fully protected beam has tremendous fire resisting capability compared to partially protected beams or unprotected beams. The study revealed that temperature of the top flange in partially protected beam exceeds more 600°C in less than 10 minutes which caused rapid failure in less than 30 minutes. Under extreme fire conditions the strength and stiffness of a beam affected which cause instability of structure during fire accident.

Thermal Characteristics of Fireproof Plaster Compositions in Exposure to Various Regimes of Fire

“…The steel structures of oil and gas facilities in an accident accompanied by fire and explosion are subjected to high temperature and overpressure according to the hydrocarbon regime, at which, in the first minutes of the fire, the temperature reaches 1000 • C and above [15]. The steel structure strength becomes drastically lower within the range of 400-600 • C, while in the case of an applied load, the unprotected structure almost immediately loses its stability.…”

The partial fire protection of steel members: a comparative study

“…Most studies deal mainly with intumescent coatings and their effect on heat transfer from an unprotected structure to a protected structure. Heat transfer moves from a warmer environment to a colder environment (Munoz-Garcia, 2016; Imran et al. , 2018; Hautala et al.…”

“…Most studies deal mainly with intumescent coatings and their effect on heat transfer from an unprotected structure to a protected structure. Heat transfer moves from a warmer environment to a colder environment (Munoz-Garcia, 2016;Imran et al, 2018;Hautala et al, 2021). It is a well-known phenomenon, and mathematical or analytical methods for determining it have already been fully developed.…”

Numerical and Experimental Analysis of Fire Resistance for Bulkhead and Deck Structures of Ships and Offshore Installations

“…Additionally, pertinent standards established by classification societies, including the American Bureau of Shipping evaluations are further guided by resolutions and directives issued by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as well as recommendations from member nations. Additionally, pertinent standards established by classification societies, including the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) [8] and the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) [9], are integrated into the evaluation process. The selection of an appropriate fire temperature model is crucial for accurately representing fire behavior and ensuring that the simulated conditions closely resemble real-world scenarios.…”

“…Typically, fire resistance performance of structures is assessed using two distinct testing methodologies: the standard temperature regime and the hydrocarbon compound fire conditions. In Europe and the United States, the combustion of hydrocarbons and fire development are primarily examined in accordance with the hydrocarbon fire curve, wherein initial fire temperatures may reach 1000 °C or even exceed this threshold [9,10]. Conversely, in the Russian oil and gas complex (O&G) fire resistance evaluations, standard curves are employed to simulate fire environments for decks and bulkheads, as specified by the ISO-834 standard developed by ISO Technical Committee 92 [11].…”