Computational Analysis for the Evaluation of Fire Resistance in Constructive Wooden Elements with Protection

Abstract

Wood is a material whose properties vary depending on different conditions, being particularly vulnerable to changes induced by high temperatures. When exposed to a fire situation, the wood properties suffer degradation, causing a char layer formation. Despite ensuring the protection of the inner core of the wood, the char layer reduces its resistant section. The evaluation of wood behavior under fire conditions is possible through experimental tests, simplified analytical models, and numerical models. To overcome difficulties in the development of experimental tests and in the approximations made to analytical methods, numerical models allow the evaluation of the fire resistance in a parametric way. First, this study will present a numerical model validated with an experimental test, using the finite element method. The validation of the results is based on the evolution of the temperature field, the char layer formation on the wooden elements, and its residual section, as well as the application of the thermal insulation criterion. The second part of the study evaluates the influence of geometric parameters, associated with different wooden constructive models with gypsum board exposed to fire. Different numerical tests are presented to evaluate the thermal and transient analysis of different wooden constructive elements with gypsum board. This type of constructive element presents cavities, making the numerical analysis in the study complex when approaching real models. The methodology applied allowed us to conclude that, at the same time, a smaller distance between wooden centers, a greater dimension of the wooden beam in height and width, as well as a greater thickness of gypsum board guarantee a better performance of the constructive wooden model.