Title: An Experimental and Numerical Investigation on the Performance of High Strength Concrete Slabs During Fire

Author(s): Faris Ali and A. Nadjai

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 279

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 1-32

Keywords:

DOI: 10.14359/51682970

Date: 3/1/2011

Abstract:
Recent studies indicate that high strength concrete is more susceptible to explosive spalling under high temperatures. However, more research is required to support this conclusion preferably on large scale structural elements to produce more realistic results. The first part of this paper presents the outcomes of an experimental investigation to study the fire resistance and performance of full-scale simply supported high strength concrete slabs subjected to the ISO834 fire curve. Three high strength concrete slabs 13920 psi (96 MPa) and 3 normal concrete slabs 6528 psi(45 MPa) were involved in the study. Each slab was loaded with 60% of the EC2 design load and was heated from the bottom side only. The second part of the paper presents a finite element study on the fire resistance of concrete slabs. A three-dimensional model of the reinforced concrete slabs taking into account exposure to high temperatures, steel reinforcement and cracks propagation was built. The model was validated using the tests’ results and a good correlation was obtained. The validated model was used to conduct parametric analyses to study the effect of loading level, heating rate (ISO834, Hydrocarbon and RWS fire curves) and axial restraint on the fire resistance of concrete slabs including an assessment of the thermal-mechanical stresses in the slabs.