Fire Protection Of Steel Structures Research Articles

Comprehensive assessment of fire protective intumescent paint “terma”

Fire protection of steel structures is aimed at increasing their fire resistance, the indicator of which is the fire resistance limit. The paper presents a calculation approach to solution of the problem of critical heating time determining for building structures with intumescent compositions. Methodological approach for assessment of heating layers of intumescent fire protective coating for different types of steel structures is developed. The applied approach allows taking into account the influence of the basic thermophysical parameters of the fire protection composition on its efficiency. The paper presents the calculations for a particular coating, which allow to determine the dependences of the thicknesses of dry layers on different reduced metal thicknesses and to obtain relevant correspondences between the calculation results and experimental data.

Novel Thermoset Nanocomposite Intumescent Coating Based on Hydroxyapatite Nanoplates for Fireproofing of Steel Structures

Thermoset nanocomposite intumescent coating swells under the influence of heat forming a thick cohesive insulating barrier; it is one of the most effective ways for fire protection of steel structures. This study reports on the sustainable fabrication of hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoplates as an efficient phosphorous-based flame retardant agent (phosphorous content of 18.5 wt%). Epoxy nanocomposite, based on the synergism between HA particles and advanced intumescent flame retardant agent (commercially known as AP750) was developed. This novel nanocomposite was able to resist a direct flame source at 1700 °C and to self extinguish; it demonstrated an enhanced flammability performance in cone calorimetry with 51% decrease in the peak heat released. Nanocomposite layer of 3 mm thickness was employed for steel substrate protection against direct heat source. The developed intumescent coating was able to protect the steel substrate from heat source at 900 °C. It offered an improved performance, in terms of the coating’s mechanical barrier, and flame resistance properties. HA nanoplates could propose a gas phase effect due to the release of active flame scavengers such as $$ {\text{PO}}_{2}^{ \cdot } $$, PO·, and HPO·. Furthermore, HA could expose a condensed phase effect via the formation of a protective charr layer.

Exposure of hydrocarbon intumescent coatings to the UL1709 heating curve and furnace rheology: Effects of zinc borate on char properties

Hydrocarbon intumescent coatings are an efficient means to passive fire protection of steel structures in high-risk environments such as petrochemical plants and offshore platforms. In the present study, the effects of zinc borate on the performance of hydrocarbon intumescent coatings were investigated. The analyses include steel temperature-time relationships and char expansion, as well as structural investigations and compositional profiles of the char. Furthermore, transient rheological coating behaviors and thermal degradation of the coatings were measured and analyzed. Results of furnace experiments, conducted under a standard hydrocarbon fire curve (UL1709), showed that a formulation containing 15 wt.% zinc borate gave the best performance. Fully expanded char measurements and the associated rheological recordings, evidenced that adjusting the zinc borate content from 0 to 20 wt.% increased the dynamic viscosity minimum of the incipient char from 6.2 to 5671.4 Pa⋅s. The increased dynamic viscosity resulted in a more uniform, but less expanded char layer. Compositional profiles of intumescent chars, measured using X-ray Diffraction, showed an increasing phosphate (especially BPO4) content with increasing levels of zinc borate in the intumescent coatings. Finally, the thermogravimetric analyses revealed that zinc borate can help to reduce epoxy binder degradation and oxidation of the carbon-inorganic residue. Due to the health risks associated with borate and its compounds, there is a requirement to find alternatives. The present work has mapped out some of the beneficial properties of zinc borate, and the results may provide some insight as to how to formulate without these compounds in the future.

Fire Protection of Steel Structures by Low Pressure Water Mist in Large-Scale Fire Test

Water mist extinguishing systems are becoming more popular due to their much higher fire-fighting efficiency at lower water consumption compared to conventional sprinklers. The article focuses on the possibility of further utilization in a form of cooling structures and presents the results of a research in the area of low-pressure water mist and the development of a new low-pressure water mist cooling system. It also introduces a new possible direction for application of cooling steel structures or their surroundings in order to increase fire resistance of steel structures. To verify the cooling effects of low-pressure water mist, a large-scale fire test with a model of steel roof construction was carried out in a room with dimensions of 4.0 × 4.0 × 2.0 m. The fire test was conducted in two scenarios. The first scenario is a reference test without application of water mist, where temperatures of the burning room and steel structures are monitored. Compared to the first scenario, the second scenario includes the use of low-pressure water mist protection of the steel structure model at the time of full fire development.

Parametric Study for Performance-Based Fire Design of US Prototype Composite Floor Systems

AbstractDesign requirements for passive fire protection of steel structures in the United States are primarily based on prescriptive approaches. Yet performance-based design has gained attention in...

Performance of Palm Oil Clinker as a Bio-Filler with Hybrid Fillers in Intumescent Fire Protective Coatings for Steel

Intumescent coatings are an effective method for fire protection of steel structures. The search for more environmental friendly intumescent coatings has led to the utilization of palm oil clinker (POC) as a bio-filler in solvent-borne intumescent coatings in order to improve fire protection performance, mechanical strength and water resistance of steel structures. In this research, POC and hybrid fillers are mixed with an acrylic binder and then blended with flame-retardant additives in order to produce intumescent coatings. The samples were tested using Bunsen burner test, thermogravimetry analysis, surface spread of flame test, field emission scanning electron microscopy, static immersion test, and adhesion strength test. It was found that the optimum composition of POC and hybrid fillers gives the best fire protection performance with the lowest equilibrium temperature (171.3°C), high thermal stability, good water resistance and excellent mechanical properties. The results of the surface spread of flame test show that Sample A3, A4, and A6 were classified as Class 1, which is the best classification. For Sample A6 (a hybrid formulation), the addition of aluminium hydroxide gives better water resistance with the lowest rate of weight change (<0.2%), while the addition of magnesium hydroxide enhances the bonding strength of the coating up to 125% compared with Sample A1 which only has a single filler POC. It can be concluded that the optimum composition of POC and hybrid fillers results in intumescent coating with the greatest fire protection performance.

Economic Comparison of Fire Fighting Measures of Gypsum-Based Materials

Fire resistance of building structures is important not only in terms of prevention of hazards to human health, but also from the economic point of view. The choice of method of fire protection of steel structures depends on the responsible choice of finish or cladding material and suitable technology implementation. Although the assessment of fire risk is a priority, when selecting the decisive criteria we must not also forget the cost of fire protection measures. This article aims at economic comparison of the two fire protection measures for the steel column of rolled profiles.

A simple method to predict temperature development in a protected steel member exposed to localized fire in large spaces

SummaryTemperature development is a key issue for fire protection of steel structures. However, until now, there has been little systematic approach to predict the steel temperature development during the whole process of a localized fire in large spaces. The smoke temperature development in large spaces is different from that in normal enclosure fires as they have lower maximum temperatures and non‐uniform temperature distributions. In the present study, a whole process prediction method for the development of smoke temperatures in a large space localized fire is proposed. The prediction method accurately reflects the temperature curves (in the growing, fully developed and decay phases) and the uniform temperature distribution in large space localized fires. Based on basic heat transfer principles and the proposed smoke temperature development model, a new relationship is proposed to predict the temperature development in a protected steel member exposed to localized fire in large spaces. There is only one variable, t (time), in the proposed relationship, and thus, it is very simple to implement in evaluating temperatures, and it accurately reflects the development of the whole fire process (growing, fully developed and decay phases). Copyright © 2016 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Stability of wide flange structural steel columns at elevated temperatures

There is a lack of understanding of how structural systems perform under realistic, uncontrolled fires. Fire protection of steel structures is usually provided through prescriptive requirements. The development of performance-based standards and tools requires explicit consideration of fire effects on structural components and systems. This paper presents a parametric study employing nonlinear material and geometric finite element analyses to model the response of wide flange steel column sections at elevated temperatures. The parametric study varied the axial load and cross-sectional slenderness of three lengths of column sections. The column sections were uniformly heated until they exhibited either inelastic or elastic buckling failure. Typically, cross-sectional slenderness is addressed through limiting the element (flange/web) width to thickness ratio, so only member buckling occurs. However, as members are heated, the modulus of elasticity and the yield strength are reduced, which (in effect) results in slender elements at elevated temperatures. Computational results illustrate the relationship between local slenderness in the web and/or flanges and the local and global buckling modes under varying load and temperature conditions.

Influence of inorganic fillers on the fire protection of intumescent coatings

Intumescent coatings, mainly composed of ammonium polyphosphate, pentaerythritol and melamine, are widely used in the field of fire protection of steel structures. The objective of this study was to investigate how the presence of two different inorganic fillers (titanium dioxide and mineral fibres) will affect the fire performance of an acrylic-based intumescent coating. In both cases, it was observed that the inorganic filler enabled improvement of the fire-protective behaviour of intumescent paints, maintaining their performance for a longer time. The mode of action was attributed to reinforcement of the char due to the presence of the fillers.