Reliability of Steel Columns Protected by Intumescent Coatings Subjected to Natural Fires

This thesis studied the effect of aging of intumescent coatings (ICs) on the reliability of protected steel columns in fire condition and developed a probabilistic approach to assess the service life of ICs applied on steel columns. In the study, Monte Carlo simulations were conducted to obtain the reliability index or failure probability of steel columns protected by ICs subjected to compartment fires. The effect of aging of intumescent coatings on the failure probability of protected steel columns was investigated by using variable insulation property of intumescent coatings in the simulation. The test data on aging effect on insulation property of intumescent coatings from literature was used. Based on the reliability analysis, a probabilistic approach is given to determine the service life of intumescent coatings for steel columns. In that approach, the failure probability of the protected steel columns is compared with the target probability of the structural fire design. The approach can also be used for probabilistic analysis of steel columns protected by conventional inert fire protection materials.

List of contents

Introduction.- Fire Modeling.- Steel Temperature in Natural Fires.- Thermal Properties of Intumescent Coatings in Fire.- Behavior of Steel Columns in Fire.- Reliability Analysis.- Service Life of Intumescent Coatings.- Conclusions and Further Work.

About the author

Honors:

2014 IAFSS Best Thesis Award "Excellence in Research" for years 2011-2014

2013 Excellent Doctor Degree Dissertation of Tongji University 2013

2011 Arup Research Prize; Outstanding Graduate Student of Tongji University

2010 Fluor Scholarship; Outstanding Student of Tongji University;

Best Paper Award from China Association for Engineering Construction Standardization

2002-04 Outstanding Student of Wuhan University (3 times)

Publication list:

[1] GB Lou, MC Zhu, M Li, C Zhang, GQ Li. Experimental research on slip-resistant bolted connects after fire.

Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 2015;104:1-8.

[2] C Zhang, GQ Li, YC Wang. Probabilistic analysis of steel columns protected by intumescent coatings to

natural fires. Structural Safety , 2014;50:16-26.

[3] C Zhang*, JL Gross, TP McAllister. Lateral torsional buckling of steel W-beams subjected to localized

fires. Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 2013; 88:330-8. (*Corresponding author)

[4] C Zhang*, GQ Li, A Usmani. Simulating the behavior of restrained steel beams to flame impingement from

localized-fires. Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 2013; 83:156-65.

[5] GQ Li, C Zhang. The Chinese performance-based code for fire-resistance of steel structures. International

Journal of High-Rise Buildings, 2013;2:123-130.

[6]C Zhang, GQ Li, RL Wang. Using adiabatic surface temperature for thermal calculation of steel members

exposed to localized fires. International Journal of Steel Structures, 2013;13:547-56.

[7] C Zhang*, GQ Li. Modified one zone model for fire resistance design of steel structures. Advanced Steel

Construction, 2013;9:284-99.

[8] C Zhang, GQ Li, YC Wang. Predictability of buckling temperature of axially loaded steel columns in fire.

Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 2012; 75:32-7.

[9] GQ Li, C Zhang*. Creep effecton buckling of axially restrained steel columns in real fires. Journal of

Constructional Steel Research, 2012; 71:182-88.

[10] GQ Li, C Zhang*. Simple approach for calculating maximum temperature of insulated steel members in

natural-fires. Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 2012; 71:104-10.

[11] GQ Li, C Zhang*, GB Lou, YC Wang, LL Wang. Assess the fire resistance of intumescent coatings by

equivalent constant thermal resistance. Fire Technology, 2012; 48:529-46.

[12] C Zhang*, GQ Li, YC Wang. Sensitivity study on using different formulas for calculating the temperatures

of insulated steel members in natural fires. Fire Technology, 2012; 48:343-66.

[13] C Zhang*, GQ Li. Fire dynamic simulation on thermal actions in localized fires in large enclosure.

Advanced Steel Construction. 2012; 8:124-36.

[14] C Zhang*, GQ Li. Thermal response of steel columns exposed to localized fires - numerical simulation

and comparison with experimental results. Journal of Structural Fire Engineering,2011;2:311-7.

[15] GQ Li, C Zhang*. Thermal response to fire of uniformly insulated steel members: background and

verification of the formulation recommended by Chinese code CECS200. Advanced Steel Construction. 2010;

6:788-802.

[16] C Zhang*, JL Gross, L Choe. Behavior of steel components subjected to localized fires. Proceedings of

the 8th International Conference on Structures in Fire (SiF14), Shanghai, China, 2004, pp.171-8. (Poster

presentation)

[17] C Zhang*, GQ Li, YC Wang. Effect of aging on reliability of steel columns protected by intumescent

coatings to natural fires. Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Structures in Fire (SiF12), ETH

Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland, pp. 145-54. (Oral presentation)

[18] C Zhang*, SC Jiang, GQ Li. Performance based fire resistance design of CFT columns in a railway

station. Proceedings of the 6thInternational Conference on Structures in Fire (SiF10), East Lansing, USA, 2010,

pp. pp. 441-8. (Poster presentation)

[19] GQ Li, C Zhang*. Thermal response of steel columns exposed to localized fires - numerical simulation

and comparison with experimental results. Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Structures in Fire

(SiF10), East Lansing, USA, 2010, pp. 35-42. (Oral Presentation)

[20] GQ Li, C Zhang. Special issues for fire-resistance of steel buildings. HKIE 4th Annual Symposium 2012.

(Invited keynote)

[21] GQ Li, C Zhang. Fire resistance design on steel structures for large enclosure in China. 3rd International

Symposium on Cold-formed Metal Structures. Hong Kong, 2010. (Invited keynote)

[22] C Zhang*, GQ Li, YZ Yin, MC Luo. Fire resistance design of large space grid structures by PBA - a case

study of the fire resistance design of the roof structure of Kunming International Airport. ICASS09, 2009. (Oral

Presentation)

[23] GQ Li, C Zhang. Fire resistance of restrained steel components. 4th International Conference on

Protection of Structures against Hazards (PSH09), pp. 21-38. Beijing, China, 2009. (Invited keynote)

[24] C Zhang*, GQ Li. Thermal behavior of a steel beam exposed to a localized fire - Numerical simulation

and comparison with experimental results. PSH09, 2009, pp. 409-15. (Oral Presentation)

[25] GQ Li, C Zhang. Performance-based design of restrained steel components against fire. State-of-the-Art

Performance Based Design Method-Global Perspective and Overview, Hong Kong, 2009. (Invited keynote)

Summary

This thesis studied the effect of aging of intumescent coatings (ICs) on the reliability of protected steel columns in fire condition and developed a probabilistic approach to assess the service life of ICs applied on steel columns. In the study, Monte Carlo simulations were conducted to obtain the reliability index or failure probability of steel columns protected by ICs subjected to compartment fires.  The effect of aging of intumescent coatings on the failure probability of protected steel columns was investigated by using variable insulation property of intumescent coatings in the simulation. The test data on aging effect on insulation property of intumescent coatings from literature was used. Based on the reliability analysis, a probabilistic approach is given to determine the service life of intumescent coatings for steel columns. In that approach, the failure probability of the protected steel columns is compared with the target probability of the structural fire design. The approach can also be used for probabilistic analysis of steel columns protected by conventional inert fire protection materials.

Product details

• Authors: Chao Zhang
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.01.2016
• EAN: 9783662526330
• ISBN: 978-3-662-52633-0
• No. of pages: 140
• Dimensions: 157 mm x 10 mm x 236 mm
• Weight: 264 g
• Illustrations: XXIV, 140 p. 74 illus.
• Series: Springer Theses; Springer Theses
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Technology > Structural and environmental engineering; B, Materialwissenschaft, Sicherheitssysteme und Brandmeldeanlagen, engineering, quality control, Industrial and Production Engineering, reliability, Materials science, Industrial safety, Quality Control, Reliability, Safety and Risk, Reliability engineering, Structural engineering, Structural Materials, Building Materials