PERFORMANCE OF RC ELEMENTS EXPOSED I TO FIRE

Abstract

Behavior of Reinforced Concrete (RC) Columns during fire have been critically examined based on the experimental database of 78 columns. The database includes the experimental studies carried out by (Lie & Woollerton, 1988), (Dotreppe, et al., 1996), (Aldea, et al., 1997), (Kodur & Sultan, 1998), (Kodur, et al., 2003), (Kodur & Raut, 2011) and (Rodrigues, et al., 2012). Based on these experimental observations variables affecting the Fire Rating (FR) of columns have been identified and discussed in detail. Analytical formula proposed by (Dotreppe, et al., 1995), (Eurocode-2, 2004) and (Kodur & Raut, 2009) have also been studied, highlighting their limitations. These analytical approaches were also validated by comparing them with the experimental database. In the present study the prescriptive approach of (IS-456, 2000) and (ACI-216, 2014) for FR has been critically reviewed based on the experimental results. Experimental fire resistances of the reviewed columns are validated with the compression failure times evaluated using 500 °C isotherm method. A numerical study has been carried out to trace the behavior of columns under fire and validated with the experimental results obtained after (Lie & Woollerton, 1988).