Thermal and mechanical properties of 19th century fireproof flooring systems at elevated temperatures

Abstract

Two types of fireproof flooring systems commonly encountered in the 19th century are the “jack arch floor” and “the filler joist floor”. A proper evaluation of their fire resistance requires reliable information of the thermal and mechanical properties of their construction materials, namely cast iron, wrought iron, mild steel, “early” concrete and masonry, at elevated temperatures. This paper collates temperature-dependent thermal (i.e., thermal conductivity and specific heat) and mechanical properties (i.e., yield strength, tensile or compressive strength, Young’s elastic modulus and thermal expansion) of the metals as well as the temperature dependent thermal properties of the “insulation” from literature. The collated data are then compared with Eurocode’s mathematical expressions for contemporary materials to assess the applicability of the Eurocode expressions for the 19th century fireproof flooring systems.