Structural Fire Analysis of One‐storey Steel‐framed Buildings with Steel Claddings

Abstract

AbstractTraditionally the structural stability of steel building frames is ensured by frame action or bracing elements. Recent European research projects have demonstrated that significant cost savings can be achieved, if cladding panels forming the building envelope are used to provide stability. The purpose of the paper is to investigate the possible stabilization effect of steel structures by steel claddings in fire, without additional wind bracings using Finite Element Method. The Finite Element analyses for full‐scale steel‐framed buildings with steel claddings under fires are still challenging due to large number of elements in the steel claddings. In this paper, the equivalent orthotropic shell element is used to model the trapezoidal roof sheeting, and composite shell element with soft core is used to model the sandwich panel in the cool compartment. Due to the delamination of inner steel face in fire, the sandwich panels in the fire compartment can be either neglected or modeled with two‐layer composite shell ignoring the inner steel sheet. The comparative study is performed, and the results suggest that the difference is small and the sandwich panels in the fire compartment can be neglected. The stabilization effect of steel claddings in fire is studied by the comparison of deformation and force responses between buildings with traditional steel bracings and with steel cladding only. In case of ISO fire, the fire resistance of entire one‐storey building with steel claddings only is 22% longer than the one with traditional steel bracings.