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Abstract

The effect of the loss of fire protection material on the fire resistance of steel columns is examined. A three-dimensional finite element heat transfer analysis is conducted to simulate the ASTM E119 fire resistance test. The predicted temperature distributions within the member over time are used in conjunction with the thermal endpoint criteria specified in ASTM E119 to provide an estimate of the fire resistance of the member. Several variables are then examined with respect to their effect on the fire resistance of a member. For a given exposure, the area of the missing protection and the size of the column are found to have an appreciable effect upon the fire resistance of the column regardless of the protection thickness. The area of the missing protection seems to be the primary factor in the temperature rise and fire resistance assessment of the column. The temperature rise in the column is primarily sensitive to the amount of missing protection, with the size of the column gaining significance only later in the test.

Keywords

fire resistance spray-applied protection missing protection steel columns

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References

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An Investigation of the Reduction in Fire Resistance of Steel Columns Caused by Loss of Spray-Applied Fire Protection

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