Performance of axially restrained carbon and stainless steel perforated beams at elevated temperatures

Sheida Afshan,Mohamed A Shaheen,Andrew Sj Foster

doi:10.1177/13694332211033965

Sheida Afshan, Mohamed A Shaheen + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1177/13694332211033965

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Abstract

This article compares the fire performance of axially restrained perforated carbon and austenitic stainless steel composite beams with circular and rectangular web openings. Finite element models, validated against experimental tests from the literature, were used to perform parametric analysis. The beams were analysed under various levels of load ratio and axial restraint stiffness covering the ranges which may exist in practice. It is concluded that austenitic stainless steel perforated beams show a more ductile fire response compared to carbon steel beams of similar geometry. It is shown that despite stainless steel’s higher thermal expansion, the beams exhibit lower thermal-induced peak compressive forces than carbon steel beams giving rise to lower levels of thermal-induced compressive force on the adjacent cold structures. The load ratio was found to determine the relative survivability of stainless steel and carbon steel beams, where at load ratios lower than 0.6, stainless steel beams show superior fire resistance than their carbon steel counterparts. The article also assesses the applicability and accuracy of the Steel Construction Institute method for the design of carbon and stainless steel perforated beams, and recommendations for future improvements are made.

Highlights

Perforated steel beams are widely used in various building types such as multi-storey, commercial, industrial, warehouses and portal frames
The beams were analysed under various levels of load ratio and axial restraint covering the ranges which may exist in practice
The ductility of the stainless steel allows load distribution between the web-posts to take place, providing a stable response compared with the carbon steel beams

Summary

Introduction

Perforated steel beams are widely used in various building types such as multi-storey, commercial, industrial, warehouses and portal frames. Comparisons of the experimentally and numerically obtained displacement–time curves and the failure modes show that the developed FE models are capable of replicating the elevated temperature large deflection behaviour of carbon steel and stainless steel perforated beams with a high degree of predictive accuracy, and can reliably be employed for conducting numerical parametric analysis.

Results

Conclusion