Structural Design for Fire Safety

Presenting a comprehensive overview of the fire resistance of building structures, this key text brings together a large volume of material from many sources on this increasingly important topic. Opening with the fundamentals of fires and fire safety, the book gives an introduction to real fire exposure and the response of strutures to such fires, outlining the important contribution of structural fire resistance to overall fire safety. Methods of calculating fire severity and achieving fire resistance are described, including fire performance of the main structural materials including structural steel, reinforced concrete and timber construction. Particularly valuable elements of the book are its design sections (incorporating international methods), where the arlier material is synthesised and recommendations are rmade for rational design of building structures exposed to fires. Structural Design for Fire Safety provides expert guidance on: interpreting code requirements for fire safety understanding the concepts of fire severity and fire resistance estimating time–temperature curves for fully developed compartment fires understanding the behaviour of structural elements and buildings exposed to fires designing steel, concrete and timber structures to resist fire exposure assessing the fire performance of existing structures In addition, the book includes valuable calculations and worked examples, unavailable elsewhere. This is an essential book for structural engineers who wish to improve their understanding of buildings exposed to severe fires. It is also an ideal textbook for introductory courses in fire safety for a civil or structural engineering degree programme, and is vital reading for final year students in fire protection and fire safety engineering. Furthermore, it successfully bridges the information gap between fire safety engineers, structural engineers and building inspectors, and will be of significant interest to architects, code officials, building designers and firefighters.

Preface Notation Introduction Fire Safety in Buildings Overview FireSafety Objectives Process of Fire Development Conceptual Framework for Fire Safety Fire Resistance Controlling Fire Spread Building Construction for Fire Safety Fire and Heat Overview Fuels Combustion Fire Initiation Burning Objects t–squared Fires Pre–flashover Design Fires Heat Transfer Room Fires Overview Pre–flashover fires Flashover Post–flashover Fires Design Fires Other Factors Fire Severity Overview Fire Severity and Fire Resistance Fire Severity Standard Fire Equivalent Fire Severity Fire Resistance Overview Fire Resistance Assessing Fire Resistance Fire–resistance Tests Approved Fire–resistance Ratings Fire Resistance by Calculation Fire Resistance of Assemblies Design of Structures Exposed to Fire Overview Structural Design at Normal Temperatures Structural Design in Fire Conditions Material Properties in Fire Design of Individual Members Exposed to Fire Design of Structural Assemblies Exposed to Fire Steel Structures Overview Behaviour of Steel Structures in Fire Fire–resistance Ratings Steel Temperatures Protection Systems Mechanical Properties of Steel at Elevated Temperature Design of Steel Members Exposed to Fire Design of Steel Buildings Exposed to Fire Concrete Structures Overview Behaviour of Concrete Structures in Fire Fire–resistance Ratings Concrete and Reinforcing Temperatures Mechanical Properties of Concrete at Elevated Temperatures Design of Concrete Members Exposed to Fire Composite Steel–Concrete Construction Exposed to Fire Timber Structures Overview Description of Timber Construction Fire–resistance Ratings Wood Temperatures Mechanical Properties of Wood Design Concepts for Heavy Timber Exposed to Fire Design of Heavy Timber Members Exposed to Fire Behaviour of Timber Connections in Fire Light Frame Construction Overview Description Fire Behaviours Fire–resistance Ratings Properties of Gypsum Plaster Board Temperatures Within Light Frame Assemblies Structural Behaviour Design of Light Frame Structures in Fire Construction Details Lightweight Sandwich Panels Design Recommendations Overview Summary of Main Points Summary for Main Materials Thermal Analysis Conclusions Appendix A Units and conversion factors Appendix B Fire load energy densities Appendix C Section property tables for steel beams Appendix D Generic fire–resistance ratings for reinforced concrete References Index