A review on fire resistance of steel-concrete composite slim-floor beams

Abstract

The use of steel-concrete composites (SCCs) is growing rapidly in the construction industry because of their improved constructability, decreased labor cost, improved bond to reinforcing steel, improved structural integrity and accelerated project schedules compared to conventional composites. Fire is a constant danger to these structural composites. Therefore, the effect of fire on the behavior of SCCs must be evaluated and included in design provisions. Slim-floor beams (SFBs) are cost-effective systems which permit a major decrease in the thickness of industrial and commercial buildings floors. The present study reviews the recent advancements and history of SCCs together with recent studies investigating the fire performance of SFBs. First, the evolution of SCC systems is briefly discussed. Then, the fire resistance and specific thermal definitions of the main structural members are presented. Finally, analytical and numerical methods for predicting fire resistance, as well as the relevant experimental results are presented. The main focus of this study is on analyzing the performance of SFBs as a flooring system under fire. It is found that further investigation is required to improve Eurocode 4 provisions for enabling the rapidly growing construction industry to benefit from the advantages provided by composite construction methods with safety considerations. Numerous studies have so far been conducted in terms of enhancing the design quality of these systems, among which some will be discussed in this study.