Thermal behavior of dry-cast concrete blocks masonry walls at elevated temperatures

Abstract

This study aims to contribute to a better understanding of the behavior of masonry structures in the event of a fire, addressing a critical gap in both local and international standards and design guidance. Particularly in Brazil, the widespread adoption of structural masonry contrasts with the absence of national standards for evaluations at high temperatures, mainly due to the scarcity of research on the subject, potentially leading to severe consequences for life safety and property losses. This paper addresses a comprehensive study on the thermal behavior of dry-cast hollow concrete blocks masonry at high temperatures. The study combines both experimental and numerical analyses and involves underexplored topics, including characterization of thermal properties at elevated temperatures of commonly used blocks, post-fire condition of masonry's components, and determination of isotherms in the masonry cross-section in scenarios with one or both faces of the wall exposed to fire (separating and non-separating walls). Despite differences in the physical characteristics of the concrete used in block production, the temperature dependency of thermal properties obtained during experiments showed similar to that in Eurocode 2. Numerical and experimental results also indicate a low influence of block strength and mortar joints on the temperature evolution within the masonry. A key finding refers to a relatively fast temperature increase during heating due to the small thickness of the shells and webs of the blocks, thus impacting the performance of masonry structures in fire.