Cross-Section Stability and Design of Normal Strength and High Strength Steel I-Sections in Fire

Abstract

The structural response and design of normal strength and high strength steel I-sections at elevated temperatures are investigated in this paper. The shell finite element models of steel I-section elements capable of replicating their behavior in fire are developed and validated against experimental results from the literature. The validated shell finite element models are then utilized to generate extensive structural performance data for steel I-sections, considering a broad range of plate slenderness values for cross-section elements, elevated temperature levels, cross-section aspect ratios as well as different loading conditions and normal strength and high strength steel grades. The accuracy of the existing methods provided in the European structural steel fire design standard EN 1993-1-2 and its upcoming version prEN 1993-1-2 for the ultimate strength predictions of normal strength and high strength steel cross-sections in fire is assessed. Scope for improvement is observed. Considering this, a new method for the ultimate strength predictions of normal strength and high strength steel sections at elevated temperatures is put forward. It is shown that the proposed method leads to more accurate ultimate strength predictions for normal strength and high strength steel I-sections in fire with a higher level of reliability relative to the existing design methods provided in EN 1993-1-2 and prEN 1993-1-2.