UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ELECTRONICS
Convenor of the Board of Examiners: Professor J M Rotter
External Examiner: Professor M Chryssanthopoulos
Monday 12th May 2008
9.30am 11.00am
(1.5hrs)

U03132 FIRE RESISTANCE OF STRUCTURES 5

This paper consists of FOUR questions.
Candidates should attempt ANY THREE questions
STRUCTURES DATABOOK SUPPLIED
Students should assume reasonable values for any data not given in a question nor
available on a datasheet, and should make any such assumptions clear on their script.
Students in any doubt as to the interpretation of the wording of a question, should
make their own decision, and should state it clearly on their script.
Only a calculator from the list approved by the College of Science and Engineering
may be used in this examination
The examination paper that you are now sitting is to be marked ANONYMOUSLY.
Please write your name in the space indicated at the top right hand corner on the front
cover of the answer book. Also enter your examination number in the appropriate
space on the front cover.
Write ONLY your examination number on any extra sheets, worksheets or graph
paper used and firmly attach these to the answer book(s).
Relevant supporting data and equations are bound with the examination paper.

Question 1
a)

b)

c)

An initially unstrained bar has cross-sectional area A, Youngs

modulus E, a coefficient of thermal expansion , and length L. Lateral
movement is prevented at one end of the bar while the other end is
restrained laterally by a spring with stiffness k, as shown in Figure Q1.
Both ends are free to rotate. If the bar is uniformly heated by an
amount T, derive an expression for , the extension of the end of the
bar. Assume all quantities are independent of temperature.

(8)

Using the expression derived part a), or otherwise, obtain an

expression for the stress in the bar in terms of T.

(5)

Hence show that the bar will buckle when

T =

d)

2r 2
L2

EA
1 + kL

Where r is the radius of gyration of the bar. Standard expressions for

buckling can be assumed.

(5)

Identify a shortcoming of the Standard Fire Test that makes it

unsuitable for testing the expression in part c) experimentally.

(2)

Spring
stiffness, k

Figure Q1.

U03132 Fire Resistance of Structures 5 May 2008

Question 2
a)

b)

c)

d)

e)

On the same axes sketch stress-strain relationships for concrete at

20C, 300C and 800C.

(4)

Explain why heat transfer calculations for concrete structures are

generally more complex than those for steel structures.

(4)

Outline what is meant by spalling and explain why it is a difficult

process to predict.

(4)

Briefly outline three passive fire protection methods used for steel
structures.

(4)

What is meant by the term section factor and why is it a useful

concept?

(4)

U03132 Fire Resistance of Structures 5 May 2008

Question 3
A simply supported concrete slab with details as shown in Figure Q3 is
heated from below by a Standard Fire. Using the information on the
supplied data sheet calculate the temperature of the reinforcement after
90 minutes.

(3)

Hence, calculate the yield strength of the reinforcing bars after 90

minutes fire exposure. Assume that the ambient temperature strength
of reinforcing steel is maintained until 400C and that thereafter the
strength reduces linearly to zero at 800C.

(3)

c)

Calculate the design bending moment per unit width for the slab.

(3)

d)

Making use of the previous calculations, check the capacity of the

beam to resist the fire design load after 90 minutes fire exposure and
state whether the design is adequate.

a)

b)

e)

The following relationship may be of use:

As f y
x=
0.85 f c b
A fire occurs one month after the slab has been constructed. What
phenomenon might invalidate your previous analysis in this situation?

6m
Slab thickness=200mm
Concrete Density=24kN/m3
Concrete strength=30MPa
Bottom cover to bars = 15mm
Bar diameter = 16mm
Bar spacing=130mm
Steel yield strength at 0C = 300MPa
Design live load in fire conditions= 3kN/m2
Figure Q3

U03132 Fire Resistance of Structures 5 May 2008

(8)

(3)

Question 4
a)

b)

An insulated steel beam with volume V per unit length and exposed
area F per unit length is placed in a fire compartment. Assuming the
insulation has no heat capacity, derive an expression for the rise in
temperature in the steel beam Ts in a short time-interval t. The
insulation has thickness di and conductivity ki. The steel has density s,
specific heat capacity cs and conductivity ks. Take the initial gas and
steel temperatures to be Tg and Ts respectively. Identify any
assumptions in your derivation.
Numerical values for the quantities in part a) are as follows
s cs
di
ki
F/V

= 4710000 JK-1m-3
=20mm
=0.15Wm-1K-1
=30m-1

The following table is a template for calculating the temperature of the

beam in part a). Copy the table into your script book and complete the
missing data.
Time
(minute
s)
0.0
1.0
2.0

c)

(8)

TS
(C)

TA
(C)

20

184
380
461

(6)

TS (C)

If the insulation used in part a) is changed so that it now has heat

capacity, show that the temperature rise in t is given by

Fki (Tg Ts )
s cs
T =

Vd i s cs c + Fd i i ci
s s
2V

Where:
i = the density of the insulation
ci = the specific heat capacity of the insulation.
and other terms are as defined in part a).

(6)

END OF PAPER

U03132 Fire Resistance of Structures 5 May 2008