Energy-based time equivalent approach to determine the fire resistance ratings of light gauge steel frame walls exposed to realistic design fire curves
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present the details of a study undertaken to develop an energy-based time equivalent approach to obtain the fire resistance ratings (FRRs) of light gauge steel frame (LSF) walls exposed to realistic design fire curves.
Design/methodology/approach
The energy-based time equivalent method was developed based on the performance of a structural member exposed to a realistic design fire curve in comparison to that of the standard fire time – temperature curve. The FRR predicted by the energy-based method for LSF wall configurations exposed to both rapid and prolonged fires were compared with those from fire design rules and finite element analyses (FEA).
Findings
The proposed energy method can be used to obtain the FRR of LSF walls in case of prolonged fires and cannot be used for rapid fires as the computed FRRs were higher than the results from FEA and fire design rules due to the influence of thermal bowing and its magnification effects at a high temperature gradient across the studs for rapid fires.
Originality/value
The energy-based time equivalent method was developed based on equal fire severity principles. Three different wall configurations were considered and exposed to both rapid and prolonged fires. The FRR obtained from the energy-based method were compared with fire design rules and FEA results to assess the use of the energy-based method to predict the FRR of LSF walls.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the Australian Research Council for their financial support and the Queensland University of Technology for providing the necessary facilities and support to conduct this research project.
Citation
Ariyanayagam, A.D. and Mahendran, M. (2017), "Energy-based time equivalent approach to determine the fire resistance ratings of light gauge steel frame walls exposed to realistic design fire curves", Journal of Structural Fire Engineering, Vol. 8 No. 1, pp. 46-72. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSFE-01-2017-0006
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited