CHAPTER 4 Member temperatures 4.1. Introduction The calculation of the atmosphere temperatures within the fire compartment presented in the previous chapter is the first step in a rational fire engineering design process. The next step is to determine, either through calculation or reference to published data, the temperature distribution within the structural elements. 4.2. Section factors for steel and composite construction The section factor A/V is a convenient parameter to measure the thermal response of a steel member. Basically, the rate at which a steel beam or column will increase in temperature is proportional to the surface area (A) of steel exposed to the fire and inversely proportional to the mass or volume (V/) of the section. Ina fire, a member with low section factor will heat up at a slower rate than one with high section factor. Calculation of the section factor for different types of unprotected section is shown in Fig. 4.1 4.3. Unprotected steelwork EN 1993-1-2 provides a simple design approach for calculating the thermal response of unprotected steel members. This approach can be extended to other metals including wrought iron, cast iron, aluminium alloys and stainless steels. Assuming an equivalent uniform temperature distribution in a cross-section, the increase of temperature AQ,, [K] in an unprotected steel member during a time interval Atis given by: Am/V Abn = hay Olas Mt for At < $s (4.1) where: Ds is the unit mass of steel (kg/m*); An is the surface area of the member per unit length (m?); Am/¥ is the section factor for unprotected steel members (m~ & is the specific heat of steel (J/kg); Aca is the net heat flux per unit area (W/m?); ky is the correction factor for the shadow effect (kg, = 1.0 if the shallow effect is ignored); At the time interval (s); and Vv is the volume of the member per unit length (m’).DESIGNERS’ GUIDE TO EN 1991-1-2, 1992-1-2, 1993-1-2 AND 1994-1-2 28 Sketch Description Section factor Ay/V (Open section exposed to fire 7 = ~ on all sides ‘ + perimeter clon: rea ‘Open section exposed to fre surface exposed to fire (on three sides cross-sectional area I-section flange exposed to fire An bea . __| omttres sis Tbe 7 1 i a # hb Ae torhad v + e = Angle exposed to fre on we —_ allsides vot tot i Tube exposed to all sides at t + s|? An 2ib+h) Hollow section or welded box | y= . * | section exposed to al sides ad a forteb ib —=| v4 + Fig. 4.1. Section factor for unprotected steel members For cross-sections with a convex shape, such as rectangular or circular hollow sections, fully embedded in fire, the shadow effect does not play a role and it can be taken as kg, = 1.0, Otherwise, the correction factor for the shadow effect k,), is given by: [Am/V] . fe ea for I-sections under nominal fire actions where Ay,/V > 10m; and [4y/V]p is the box value of the section factor. 4.4. Steelwork insulated by fire protection EN 1993-1-2 provides a simple design approach for insulated steel members with non- reactive fire protection materials. The insulating materials can be in the form of profiled or boxed systems, but do not include intumescent coatings. Assuming uniform temperature distribution, the temperature increase A@,, of an insulated steel member during a time interval At (<30s) is given by: AnAn/V (Oa ~ Pas ; 0101) ag, AB, > 0 if Ag, > I. Mout = og (Ee g/ay en — VAlys but Ad, > OF Ady, > 0 (4.2) with SP ¢ cp, dyAy/VCHAPTER 4. MEMBER TEMPERATURES ‘Sketch Description ‘Section factor A/V Contour encasement of ‘Contour encasement of A tee! perimeter es V ~ ‘steel cross-sectional area wniorn tices, orpoced pee etieeipotineat= OEE ‘blue on 3 sides V too eros- sectional area — b L Hollow encasement of . [ 4 tron thks. A ash) 7 =| (The clearance ¢; and c2 < hid) V steel cross-sectional area apt Pring, (The clearance o and op < his) a8 voto ecasomant ot f thorn Pade esod ahs y ee V ~ ‘stool cross-sectional area =a 4 a B 7 oe Fig. 4.2. Section factor for insulated steel members where Ap is the thermal conductivity of fire protection material (W/mK); Ox is the steel temperature at time 1 (°C); 6, —_ is the ambient gas temperature at time ¢ (°C); Ad,, is the increase of ambient gas temperature during time interval Ar (K); Pa is the unit mass of steel (kg/m*); Pp is the unit mass of fire protection material (kg/m*); Ap/V isthe section factor for steel members insulated by fire protection material (m-); A, is the appropriate area of fire protection material per unit length (m°); en is the temperature-dependent specific heat of steel (I/kgK); & is the temperature-independent specific heat of fire protection material (J/kgK) dy is the thickness of fire protection material (m); At is the time interval (s); and Vv is the volume of the steel member per unit length (m*). Figure 4.2 illustrates some design values of the section factors A,/V for insulated steel members. It is worth noting that the area A, of the fire protection material is generally taken as the area of its inner surface. For hollow encasement with a clearance around the steel members, the value of 4, is taken as that for hollow encasement without a clearance. Temperature (°C) Moisture plateau ~ time — 100 4 he Time Fig. 4.3. Evaluation of moisture plateau for protection materials (DD ENV 13381-4: 2002) 29