Applied Mechanics and Materials Vols 90-93 (2011) pp 3089-3092 Online: 2011-09-08

© (2011) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland

doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.90-93.3089

The Temperature Field Finite Element Analysis of Concrete

Beam After Fire Based on ABAQUS
Wensheng Li 1, a, Xiaowu Deng 2,b
1
School of Urban Construction Yangtze University, Jingzhou (434023), China
2
School of Urban Construction Yangtze University, Jingzhou (434023), China
a
lwsjoy@126.com, bdxwtopboy@126.com

Keywords: ABAQUS; temperature field; finite element analysis

Abstract. Based on ABAQUS software platform, the author analyzed the concrete beam’s
temperature field by the finite element numerical simulation technology,and got the temperature field
and the measuring temperature-time curve for the beam of different sections.The calculated results
made a perfect coincide with on-site test ,which proved that ABAQUS simulated temperature field of
concrete component has certain precision .Thus, the results provided the references for those who
want to do more in-depth studies of the concrete beam’s mechanical properties after fire and
reinforcement design.

Introduction.
Fire is a major disaster form which threat the safety of buildings and occurrences frequently in all
disasters.It brings heavy losses to the nation and the people every year. Once concrete structure
caught fire, its carrying capacity and the deformation of mechanics performance indicators will
completely changed by the fires, high temperature function, and these changes will be changed with
the structural elements’ temperature changes[1]. Therefore, in order to get further understand of the
mechanics properties of concrete under high temperature,the temperature field of components should
be firstly analyzed. Based on the basic principle of heat conduction, the temperature field of concrete
beam is analyzed by finite element of ABAQUS software.

The general principle of structural elements, temperature field analysis.

Differential equation of heat conduction.
Due to the size of the concrete component is far greater than the maximum diameter of
aggregates, the concrete often be assumed as isotropic material in finite element analysis. Rebar make
a very small proportion of reinforced concrete structure, and heat transfer coefficient of raber is very
big, so in the calculation of temperature field of component section, the influence of rebar will not be
taken into consideration[2]. Usually when there is a fire, concrete internal hydration heat release
completely because of high temperature effect. Therefore concrete structure is thought approximately
has no heat source, the heat conduction is mainly by convection and radiation. Own no heat for itself,
its heat transfer equation of concrete component can be expressed as[3]:
∂T ∂  ∂T  ∂  ∂T  ∂  ∂T 
ρc = k + k + k  (1)
∂t ∂x  ∂x  ∂y  ∂y  ∂z  ∂z 
Here ρ -material density(kg/m3) ; c-heat capacity(J/kg℃) ; k-heat transfer coefficient(w/m℃) ;
T-fire temperature(℃) ; t-fire burning time(s) .
Initial condition and boundary conditions.
Initial condition:
Before fire occurred, the initial temperature of concrete elements is room temperature. Assuming
the component sections evenly ， the component sections, temperature are equal to initial
environmental temperature, the initial condition can be expressed as:
T(x，y，z，t=0)= T0 (2)

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3090 Advances in Civil Engineering, ICCET 2011

Boundary conditions.
Generally when there is a fire, the concrete structure which meet fire exist convection and
radiation through outside. Then its boundary conditions can be expressed as :
 ∂T ∂T 
λ  lx + l y  = hc (T f − TS ) + hr σ (T f4 − TS4 ) (3)
 ∂x ∂y 
2
Here,hc-the convective heat transfer coefficient between environment and the boundaries（W/m .k）;
hr- radiation heat transfer coefficient between environment and the boundaries; σ -Boltzmann's
constant（5.67×10-8 W/m2.k）; Ts-Component boundary absolute temperature; lx and ly- Component
boundary orientation cosine.
When the fire start, the temperature rise rapidly, then incline to stability with time. This paper
adopts international organization for standardization (ISO-834) [4]formulary standard temperature
time relationship curve following figure 1-1 shows:
temperature

time（min）
Fig.1-1 ISO-834 international standard temperature time curve

Simulation fire temperature field distribution by ABAQUS.

As the most advanced international large general finite element software, ABAQUS has an
amazing simulation performance, huge solution of the nonlinear function and the advanced
mechanical analysis ability. It has lots of different kinds of unit types, material depot, analyzing
process etc, thus can be widely used in thermal, civil engineerings etc[5]. In order to know more clearly
and directly the temperature change and its component temperature field distribution when the fire
broke out, the concrete beam’s temperature field is analyzed of the finite element by ABAQUS.
Engineering example analysis: a five-layer framework office building caught fire, the post-disaster
scene investigation collecting photos shown as below:

According to the site’s remain appearance characteristics and burning condition:the concrete
surface color was shallow gray slightly now light yellow, surface bubbling had more crack and
transfixion seam, surface had edge expansion and dilatancy, came off seriously. Field testing showed
preliminary judgement fire temperature about 900 ℃, and fire lasted 60 minutes. In order to
accurately determine its temperature distribution law, now choose one piece of beam, and carry on
the ABAQUS simulation. Beam section size was shown as below figure 2-3, we analyzed the
condition of temperature field distribution situation as three surfaces under fire. Heating curves is
heating curves for international standards: T = 345lg ( 8t + 1) + T0 [2],here, T0=20℃，The density of
concrete is 2300kg/m3. Heat transfer rate and heat capacity of concrete beam change over time curve
respectively as follows figure 2-1 and 2-2:
 Applied Mechanics and Materials Vols. 90-93 3091

heat transfer rate

specific heat
temperateure temperateure
Fig. 2-1 Heat transfer rate change over time Fig.2-2 Specific heat change over time

Fig. 2-3 Beam section size

Establishe 3d model.The finite element 3d model of concrete beam was established by the
[2]
known section size. (according to literature in the conclusion,the raber has little effect to heat
conduction,so raber is not take into consideration. 3d model is established only according to the
concrete) ,the 3d model is shown as below figure 2-4:

Fig. 2-4 The 3d model of the concrete beam Fig.2-5 The 3d model in grid

Create materials. Heat transfer rate changes over time curve and specific heat changing over
time curve were input as known; Created section attributes as leveling mass concrete entity, and gave
this attribute to all sections; assembled components and then set analysis step, set the maximum
iteration number of 1000, iterative minimum iteration step length as 1e-5, the initial iteration step as 1,
maximum iterating step as 2, the biggest temperature change for each iteration step as 10; defined
bottom and two profiles three sides catching fire. defined load and boundary conditions, temperature
load namely for heating curves (ISO-834) standard curve, initial temperature as 20 ℃. Because this
paper just research of temperature field distribution of per point of the model, so don't set boundary
conditions, the model's expansion of the deformation was not considered too. Unit types were divided
in mapping grid partition, concrete was adopted eight node three-dimensional entity thermal analysis
DC3D8 units. The 3d model in grid was shown as above figure 2-5.
Submit analysis work and post-processing. The author got measuring results about
components section temperature field distribution and temperature changes over time curves by
ABAQUS . Such file was shown as follows:

Fig. 2-6 Haet cloud figure Fig.2-7 Temperature cloud figure Fig. 2-8 The X axis temperature field
3092 Advances in Civil Engineering, ICCET 2011

Fig. 2-9 The Y axis temperature field

Fig. 2-10 The Z axis temperature field Fig. 2-11 The temperature-time curve of
measured point
The calculation results clearly y, intuitively reflect the temperature changes of component
section under fire. The highest temperature happens in the bottom of the beam, the lowest
temperature happens in the top of the beam. The bottom midpoint temperature-time relationship
curve showed in figure 2-11 made a perfect coincide with the time and fire temperature of the field
measuring results. According to the above results, we can make more accurate judgment of every
relevant component changes in temperature and temperature field distribution situation once fire
occurs, which proved that using ABAQUS analysis temperature field of component section method is
feasible, and has certain accuracy, its calculation results are reliable.

Conclusion.
This article elaborates the general principles of component section temperature field analysis, and
simulates concrete beam’s temperature field distribution after fire by using the finite element
ABAQUS software. Through comparing the result with field testing, it can prove correctness and
reliability of the simulation results. In practice,ABAQUS finite element simulation can infer the
concrete structural fire temperature and temperature field distribution more accurately, thus provide
important technical parameters of mechanical properties and fire component identification and
reinforcement for further analysis ,and also can provide engineering and technical references for the
spot inspection.

References:
[1] Zhenhai Guo, XuDong Shi. The high temperature performance of reinforced concrete and its
calculating [M]. Beijing: Tsinghua University press, 2003
[2] Zhenhai Guo, XuDong Shi. The temperature field of reinforced concrete structures [J].
Engineering mechanics, 1996, (2) : 35-42
[3] Jilei Ye, Jie Jiang. The study of temperature field of floor under fire based on ABAQUS
[J].Journal of shanxi building, 2009, (31) : 66-67
[4] International Standard ISO - 834, resistance tests-horses-building construction of shadow, 1975
[5] Yuzhuo Wang,Chuanguo Fu. ABAQUS structure engineering analysis and example explanation
[M].Beijing: China architecture &building press, 2010
Advances in Civil Engineering, ICCET 2011
10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.90-93

The Temperature Field Finite Element Analysis of Concrete Beam after Fire Based on ABAQUS
10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.90-93.3089