Fire behaviour of slender precast concrete walls

Abstract

This paper describes the fire behaviour of industrial buildings which incorporate steel roof framing and precast tilt-up reinforced concrete wall panels. The walls were investigated as free-standing cantilevers, propped cantilevers, or attached to a simple frame of steel beams and columns. Analysis was conducted with the SAFIR program. The results show that tall and slender walls are likely to buckle or collapse outwards if they are not well connected to the steel frame, or if the building has inadequate resistance to transverse forces. Good performance can be obtained by providing fire-resisting connections between the panels and the steel frame, together with lateral resistance provided by a roof diaphragm or frame action. Copyright © International Association for Fire Safety Science.