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The purpose of this paper is to propose a new framework based on linear control system theory and the use of proportional (P) controller and proportional integral (PI) controller to address identified stability issues and control the time properties in hybrid fire testing.

The paper approaches hybrid fire testing as a control problem. It establishes the state equation to give the general stability conditions. Then, it shows how P and PI controllers can be incorporated in the system to maintain stability. A virtual hybrid fire testing is performed on a 2D steel frame for validation and to compare the performance of the controllers.

Control system theory provides an efficient framework for hybrid fire testing and rigorously formulate the stability conditions of the system. The use of a P-controller stabilises the process, but this controller is not suitable for continuous change of stiffness of the substructures. In contrast, a PI-controller handle the stiffness changes. The results of a virtual hybrid fire testing of a 2D steel frame shows that the PI-controller succeeds in reproducing the global behaviour of the frame, even if the surrounding structure is non-linear and subjected to fire.

The paper provides a rigorous formulation of the general problem of hybrid fire testing and shows the interest of a PI controller to control the process under varying stiffness. This methodology is a step forward for hybrid fire testing because it allows capturing the global behaviour of a structure, including where the numerical substructure behaves nonlinearly and is subjected to fire.

This paper aims to investigate the need for active boundary conditions during fire testing of structural elements, review existing studies on hybrid fire testing (HFT), a technique that would ensure updating of boundary conditions during a fire test, and propose a compensation scheme to mitigate instabilities in the hybrid testing procedure.

The paper focuses on structural steel columns and starts with a detailed literature review of steel column fire tests in the past few decades with varying axial and rotational end restraints. The review is followed with new results from comparative numerical analyses of structural steel columns with various end constraints. HFT is then discussed as a potential solution to be adapted for fire testing of structural elements. Challenges in contemporary HFT procedures are discussed, and application of stiffness updating approaches is demonstrated.

The reviewed studies indicate that axial and rotational restraints at the boundaries considerably influence the fire response of steel columns. Equivalent static spring technique for simulating effect of surrounding frame on an isolated column behavior does not depict accurate buckling and post-buckling response. Additionally, numerical models that simulate fire performance of a column situated in a full-frame do follow the trends observed in actual test results up until failure occurs, but these simulations do not necessarily capture post-failure performance accurately. HFT can be used to capture proper boundary conditions during testing of isolated elements, as well as correct failure modes. However, existing studies showed cases with instabilities during HFT. This paper demonstrates that a different stiffness updates calculated from the force-displacement response history of test specimen at elevated temperature can be used to resolve stability issues.

The paper has two contributions: it suggests that the provision of active boundary conditions is needed in structural fire testing, as equivalent static spring does not necessarily capture the effect of surrounding frame on an isolated element during a fire test, and it shows that force-displacement response history of test specimen during HFT can be used in the form of a stiffness update to ensure test stability.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a method for hybrid fire testing (HFT) which is unconditionally stable, ensures equilibrium and compatibility at the interface and captures the global behavior of the analyzed structure. HFT is a technique that allows assessing experimentally the fire performance of a structural element under real boundary conditions that capture the effect of the surrounding structure.

The paper starts with the analysis of the method used in the few previous HFT. Based on the analytical study of a simple one degree-of-freedom elastic system, it is shown that this previous method is fundamentally unstable in certain configurations that cannot be easily predicted in advance. Therefore, a new method is introduced to overcome the stability problem. The method is applied in a virtual hybrid test on a 2D reinforced concrete beam part of a moment-resisting frame.

It is shown through analytical developments and applicative examples that the stability of the method used in previous HFT depends on the stiffness ratio between the two substructures. The method is unstable when implemented in force control on a physical substructure that is less stiff than the surrounding structure. Conversely, the method is unstable when implemented in displacement control on a physical substructure stiffer than the remainder. In multi-degrees-of-freedom tests where the temperature will affect the stiffness of the elements, it is generally not possible to ensure continuous stability throughout the test using this former method. Therefore, a new method is proposed where the stability is not dependent on the stiffness ratio between the two substructures. Application of the new method in a virtual HFT proved to be stable, to ensure compatibility and equilibrium at the interface and to reproduce accurately the global structural behavior.

The paper provides a method to perform hybrid fire tests which overcomes the stability problem lying in the former method. The efficiency of the new method is demonstrated in a virtual HFT with three degrees-of-freedom at the interface, the next step being its implementation in a real (laboratory) hybrid test.

This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of a hybrid fire testing by real-time subdivision of physical and numerical substructures (NSs) on simplified structures as a milestone in the development of the method.

An interface where the data was exchanged between a finite element software and a hydraulic jack regulator using text files has been developed and applied to perform two experimental campaigns of nine tests on simple steel frame structures with different thermal loading conditions. In the first experimental campaign, the physical substructure (PS) was assumedly protected by insulating material, while the NS was uniformly exposed to ISO 834 fire on all sides. The difference of the second experimental campaign from the first one was that the PS was heated on one side.

The experimental results showed how a gap between the determined equilibrium position and the “real” position caused by the time lag, as well as an overshoot phenomenon due to the non-synchronized action of both substructures, may occur. From the identification of the overshoot, two paths of development spring to mind to reduce the delay of the NS.

In the context that the number of proposal theoretical algorithms continues to increase with the absence of real experimental adjustments, such experimental results and the associated analysis constitute additional understandings to identify possible paths of improvements that might have been missed or could not be accessed through previous studies.

Perforated composite beams are an increasingly popular choice in the construction of buildings because they can provide a structurally and materially efficient design solution while also facilitating the passage of services. The purpose of this paper is to examine the behaviour of restrained perforated beams, which act compositely with a profiled slab and are exposed to fire. The effect of surrounding structure on the composite perforated beam is incorporated in this study using a virtual hybrid simulation framework. The developed framework could also be used to analyse other structural components in fire.

A finite element model is developed using OpenSees and OpenFresco using a virtual hybrid simulation technique, and the accuracy of the model is validated using available fire test data. The validated model is used to investigate some of the most salient parameters such as the degree of axial and rotational restraint, arrangement of the openings and different types of fire on the overall fire behaviour of composite perforated beams.

It is shown that both axial and rotational restraint have a considerable effect on time-displacement behaviour and the fire performance of the composite perforated beam. It is observed that the rate of heating and the consequent development of elevated temperature in the section have a significant effect on the fire behaviour of composite perforated beams.

The paper will improve the knowledge of readers about modelling the whole system behaviour in structural fire engineering and the presented approach could also be used for analysing different types of structural components in fire conditions.

Simulations exist for the prediction of the behaviour of building structural systems under fire, including two-way coupled fire-structure interaction. However, these simulations do not include detailed models of the connections, whereas these connections may impact the overall behaviour of the structure. Therefore, this paper proposes a two-scale method to include screw connections.

The two-scale method consists of (a) a global-scale model that models the overall structural system and (b) a small-scale model to describe a screw connection. Components in the global-scale model are connected by a spring element instead of a modelled screw, and the stiffness of this spring element is predicted by the small-scale model, updated at each load step. For computational efficiency, the small-scale model uses a proprietary technique to model the behaviour of the threads, verified by simulations that model the complete thread geometry, and validated by existing pull-out experiments. For four screw failure modes, load-deformation behaviour and failure predictions of the two-scale method are verified by a detailed system model. Additionally, the two-scale method is validated for a combined load case by existing experiments, and demonstrated for different temperatures. Finally, the two-scale method is illustrated as part of a two-way coupled fire-structure simulation.

It was shown that proprietary ”threaded connection interaction” can predict thread relevant failure modes, i.e. thread failure, shank tension failure, and pull-out. For bearing, shear, tension, and pull-out failure, load-deformation behaviour and failure predictions of the two-scale method correspond with the detailed system model and Eurocode predictions. Related to combined load cases, for a variety of experiments a good correlation has been found between experimental and simulation results, however, pull-out simulations were shown to be inconsistent.

More research is needed before the two-scale method can be used under all conditions. This relates to the failure criteria for pull-out, combined load cases, and temperature loads.

The two-scale method bridges the existing very detailed small-scale screw models with present global-scale structural models, that in the best case only use springs. It shows to be insightful, for it contains a functional separation of scales, revealing their relationships, and it is computationally efficient as it allows for distributed computing. Furthermore, local small-scale non-convergence (e.g. a screw failing) can be handled without convergence problems in the global-scale structural model.

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of experimental testing of steel rebars at elevated temperatures. Three types of bars available in the local market in Pakistan were used. These data are not available in Pakistan.

Three types of bars were used, which included cold-twisted ribbed (CTR), hot-rolled deformed (HRD) and thermo-mechanically treated (TMT) bars. The diameter of the bar of each type was 16 mm. The bars were heated in an electrical furnace at temperatures which were varied from 100°C to 900°C in increment of 100°C. Bars of each type were also tested at ambient temperature as control specimens. The change of strength, strain and modulus of elasticity of the bars at high temperatures were determined.

The mechanical properties of the bars were nearly unaffected by the temperatures up to 200°C. CTR bars did not show yield plateau and strain hardening both at ambient and high temperatures. The high temperature yield strength and elastic modulus for all the three types of bars were similar at all temperatures. The yield plateau of both the HRD and TMT bars disappeared at temperatures greater than 300°C. The ultimate strength at high temperature of the HRD and TMT bars was also similar. The behaviours of the HRD and TMT bars changed to brittle beyond 400°C as compared to their behaviours at ambient temperature. The CTR bars exhibited ductile characteristics at failure at all the exposure temperatures relative to their behaviour at ambient temperature.

The parameters of the paper included the rebar type and heating temperature and the effects of temperature on strength and stiffness properties of the steel bars.

Building fire incidents have increased in Pakistan. As reinforced concrete (RC) buildings exist in the country in significant numbers, the data related to elevated temperature properties of steel is required. These data are not available in Pakistan presently. The presented paper aims at providing this information for the design engineers to enable them to assess and increase fire resistance of RC structural members.

The presented paper is unique in its nature in that there is no published contribution to date, to the best of authors’ knowledge, which has been carried out to assess the temperature-dependent mechanical properties of steel reinforcing bars available in Pakistan.

The determination of temperature profile within a reinforced concrete (RC) beam is essential for carrying out structural analysis at elevated temperatures. The temperatures are usually estimated using sophisticated numerical techniques which require computational support. Since the determination of rebar temperature in RC beams is more important than the concrete temperature a reliable analytical method of temperature prediction can become a helpful tool in simple beam analysis problems which are employed for determining residual strength in fire. This paper presents the details of development of an empirical equation for the prediction of temperature of rebar in RC beams. The equation is also capable of predicting concrete temperatures at different locations within the beam. The predictions made by the equation were compared with the temperatures determined from experimental beam testing and finite element (FE) analysis. A good correlation of the predicted temperatures was found for the entire time-temperature history with both the observed data and the estimated temperatures by FE models.

The fire resistance of timber structures is heavily dependent on the fire behaviour of the connections between its structural elements. The experimental study presented in this paper aimed to investigate the fire performance of glued-laminated timber beam connections reinforced perpendicular-to-wood grain with self-tapping screws (STS).

Two full-size fire experiments were conducted on glulam beam-end connections loaded in flexure bending. Two connection configurations, each utilizing four steel bolts arranged in two different patterns, were reinforced perpendicular to wood grain using STS. The bolt heads and nuts and the steel plate top and bottom edges were fire protected using wood plugs and strips, respectively. Each connection configuration was loaded to 100% of the ultimate design load of the weakest unreinforced configuration. The test assemblies were exposed to elevated temperatures that followed the CAN/ULC-S101 standard fire time–temperature curve.

The experimental results show that the influence of the STS was significant as it prevented the occurrence of wood splitting and row shear-out and as a result, increased the fire resistance time of the connections. The time to failure of both connection configurations exceeded the minimum fire resistance rating specified as 45 min for combustible construction in applicable building codes.

The experimental data show the effectiveness of a simple fire protection system (i.e. wood plugs and strips) along with the utilization of STS on the rotational behaviour, charring rate, fire resistance time and failure mode of the proposed hybrid mass timber beam-end connection configurations.

The aim of this paper is to determine the thermal conductivity of a protective layer of alkali-activated cement and the possibility of performing fire protection with fireclay sand and Lightweight mortar. Unprotected steel structures have generally low fire resistance and require surface protection. The design of passive protection of a steel element must consider the service life of the structure and the possible need to replace the fire protection layer. Currently, conventional passive protection options include intumescent coatings, which are subject to frequent inspection and renewal, gypsum and cement-based fire coatings and gypsum and cement board fire protection.

Alkali-activated cements provide an alternative to traditional Portland clinker-based materials for specific areas. This paper presents the properties of hybrid cement, its manufacturability for conventional mortars and the development of passive fire protection. Fire experiments were conducted with mortar with alkali-activated and fireclay sand and lightweight mortar with alkali-activated cement and expanded perlite. Fire experiment FE modelling.

The temperatures of the protected steel and the formation of cracks in the protective layer were investigated. Based on the experiments, the thermal conductivities of the two protective layers were determined. Conclusions are presented on the applicability of alkaline-activated cement mortars and the possibilities of applicability for the protection of steel structures. The functionality of the passive fire layer was confirmed and the strengths of the mortar used were determined. The use of alkali-activated cements was shown to be a suitable option for sustainable passive fire protection of steel structures.

Eco-friendly fire protection based on hybrid alkali-activated cement of steel members.