Numerical Simulation and Analysis of Axially Restrained Steel Cellular Beams in Fire

Authors: Asal Pournaghshband

Abstract:

This paper presents the development of a finite element model to study the large deflection behaviour of restrained stainless steel cellular beams at elevated temperature. Cellular beams are widely used for efficient utilization of raw materials to facilitate long spans with faster construction resulting sustainable design solution that can enhance the performance and merit of any construction project. However, their load carrying capacity is less than the equivalent beams without opening due to developing shear-moment interaction at the openings. In structural frames due to elements continuity, such beams are restrained by their adjoining members which has a substantial effect on beams behaviour in fire. Stainless steel has also become integral part of the build environment due to its excellent corrosion resistance, whole life-cycle costs, and sustainability. This paper reports the numerical investigations into the effect of structural continuity on the thermo-mechanical performance of restrained steel beams with circle and elongated circle shapes of web opening in fire. The numerical model is firstly validated using existing numerical results from the literature, and then employed to perform a parametric study. Parametric studies to explore the influence of variation in i) axial restraint stiffness, ii) steel grades, iii) shape and size of web openings, and iv) load level were described. Hence, the structural continuity is evaluated through the application of different levels of axial restraints on the response of carbon steel and stainless steel cellular beam in fire. The transit temperature for stainless steel cellular beam is shown to be less affected by the level of axial stiffness than the equivalent carbon steel cellular beam. Overall, it was established that whereas stainless steel cellular beams show similar stages of behaviour of carbon steel cellular beams in fire, they are capable of withstanding higher temperatures prior to the onset of catenary action in large deflection, despite the higher thermal expansion of stainless steel material.

Keywords: Axial restraint, catenary action, cellular beam, fire, numerical modelling, stainless steel, transit temperature.

References:

[1] R. M. Lawson, and S. J, Hicks, “Design of Composite Beams with Large Web Openings”, Steel Construction Institute (SCI), Ascot, 2011.
[2] F. Erdal, “Ultimate Load Capacity of Optimally Designed Cellular Beams”, PhD Thesis, Middle East Technical University, Turkey, 2011
[3] L. F. Grilo, R. H. Fakury, A. L. de Castro e Silva, and G. de Souza Verissimo, “Design procedure for the web-post buckling of steel cellular beams”, Journal of Constructional Steel Research, vol. 148, 2018, pp. 525-541.
[4] K. F. Chung, T. C. H. Liu, and A. C. H. Ko, “Investigation on Vierendeel mechanism in steel beams with circular web openings”, Journal of Constructional Steel Research, vol. 57, 2001, pp. 467-490.
[5] K. D. Tsavdaridis, and C. D. Mello, “Web buckling study of the behaviour and strength of perforated steel beams with different novel web opening shapes”, Journal of Constructional Steel Research, vol. 67, no. 10, 2011, pp. 1605-1620.
[6] L. Kang, S. Hong, and X. Liu, “Shear behaviour and strength design of cellular beams with circular or elongated openings”, Thin-walled Structures, vol. 160. no. 4, 2021, Article 107353.
[7] V. Y. B. Wong, I. W. Burgess, and R. J. Plank, “Behavior of composite floor beam with web openings at high temperatures”, in SDSS’Rio 2010 Stability and Ductility of Steel Structures, P.V. E. Batista, L. de Lima (Eds.), Editor, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2010.
[8] L. Wang, J. Li, C. Luo, X. Cao and H. Wang, “Experimental and numerical study on the shear behaviour of web perforated cold-formed steel beams”, Structures, vol. 45, 2022, pp. 2117-2136.
[9] F. De’nan, N. S. Hashim, and L. K. Zenth, “Finite element analysis of perforated cold-formed steel section: Effects of shear behavior”, Journal of structural monitoring and built environment, vol. 1, no. 1, 2021, pp. 18-27.
[10] P. Sangeetha, S. M. Revathi, V. Sudhakar, D. Swarnavarshini, and S. Sweatha, “Behaviour of cold-formed steel hollow beam with perforation under flexural loading”, Materials Today: Proceedings, vol. 38, 2021, pp. 3103-3109.
[11] N. R. Baddoo, “100 years of stainless steel: A review of structural applications and the development of design rules”, The Structural Engineer, vol. 91, no. 8, 2013, pp. 10-18.
[12] S. G. Morkhade, and L. M. Gupta, “Experimental investigation for failure analysis of steel beams with web openings”, Steel and Composite Structures, vol. 23, 2017, pp. 647-656.
[13] F. Rodrigues, P. C. G. Vellasco, L. R. O. Lima, and S. A. L. Andrade, “Finite element modelling of steel beams with web opening”, Engineering, vol. 6, 2014, pp. 886-913.
[14] T. C. H. Liu, and K. F. Chung, “Steel beams with large web openings of various shapes and sizes: finite element investigation”, Journal of Constructional Steel Research, vol. 59, 2003, pp. 1159-1176.
[15] K. T. Ng, “Stainless steel structures in fire”, PhD thesis, 2007.
[16] A. Nadjai, C. G. Bailey, O. Vassart, S. Han, W. I. Simms, M. Hawes, B. Zhao, and J. M. Franssen, “Full -scale fire test on a composite floor slab incorporating long span cellular steel beams”, Journal of The Structural Engineer, vol. 89, 2011, pp. 18-25.
[17] K. A. Cashell, M. Malaska, M. Khan, M. Alanen, and K. Mela, “Experimental and numerical analysis of stainless steel cellular beams in fire”, Fire Safety Journal, vol. 121, 2021, pp. 103277-103277.
[18] A. Pournaghshband, S. Afshan, and M. Theofanous, “Elevated temperature performance of restrained stainless steel beams”, Structures, vol. 22, 2019, pp. 278-290.
[19] A. M. Allam, I. W. Burgess, and R. U. Plank, “Performance-based simplified model for a steel beam at large deflection in fire”, Proc. of the 4th Int. Conf. on Performance-based Codes and Fire Safety Design Methods, Melbourne, Australia, 2002.
[20] Y. Z. Yin, and Y. C. Wang, “Analysis of catenary action in steel beams using a simplified hand calculation method, Part 1: theory and validation for uniform temperature distribution”, Journal of Constructional Steel Research, vol. 61, 2004, pp. 183-211.
[21] L. Chen, and Y. C. Wang, “Methods of improving survivability of steel beam/column connections in fire”, Journal of Constructional Steel Research, vol. 79, 2012, pp. 127-139.
[22] ABAQUS/CAE Standard User's Manual, version 2023. Dassault Systèmes Simulia Corp.
[23] Y. Z. Yin, and Y. C. Wang, “Analysis of behaviour of steel beams with web openings at elevated temperatures”, Steel and Composite Structures, vol. 6, 2006, pp. 15-31.
[24] M. Najafi, “Behaviour of axially restrained steel beams with web openings at elevated temperature”, PhD thesis, 2014.
[25] EN 1993-1-2, Eurocode 3: Design of steel structures - Part 1.2: General rules – Structural fire design, Brussels: European Committee for Standardization (CEN), 2005.
[26] EN 1993-1-4, Eurocode 3: Design of Steel Structures – Part 1.4: General Rules – Supplementary Rules for Stainless Steels, European Committee for Standardization (CEN), Brussels, 2015.
[27] S. Afshan, O. Zhao, and L. Gardner, “Standardised material properties for numerical parametric studies of stainless steel structures and buckling curves for tubular columns”, Journal of Constructional Steel Research, vol. 152, 2018, pp. 2-11.
[28] Design Manual for Structural Stainless Steel, Forth Edition, Steel Construction Institute, 2017.
[29] R. G. Dawson, and A. C. Walker, “Post-buckling of geometrically imperfect plates”, Journal of the Structural Division (ASCE), vol. 98, no. 1, 1972, pp. 75-94.
[30] H. X. Yuan, Y. Q. Wang, Y. J. Shi, and L. Gardner, “Residual stress distributions in welded stainless steel sections”, Thin-Walled Structures, vol. 79, 2014, pp. 38–51.