Behavior of Full-scale Frames with Slim Floor Slab Construction under Exposure in a Fire Resistance Furnace

Abstract

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in developing and designing slim floor systems in steel-framed buildings. This article describes the results of a furnace test conducted on two full-scale composite steel frames with slim floor slab construction to understand their performance under fire loading. In one frame, the beam-to-column connections were protected, while in the second frame, the columns as well as the beam-to-column connections were protected. During the test, the furnace temperature, the steel and concrete temperature, as well as the horizontal and vertical displacements were recorded. The complete deformation process of the test frame observed during the heating phase and the cooling phase, including failure of the frame, is described in this article. A comparison of the data obtained from the two tests indicates that the fire resistance of a composite beam is significantly better than that of a steel column. Fire resistance of composite frames with slim floor slabs is compared with data on a conventional floor slab. Results indicate that the fire resistance rating of frames constructed with slim floor slabs is at least as good as that of frames with conventional floor slab construction.

Keywords

slim floor structural failure furnace heating composite steel frame fire resistance.

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