fire protection planning report BUILDING CONSIRUCTION INFORMATION FROM THE CONCRETE AND MASONRY INDUSTRIES, NO. 5 OF & SERIES An Introduction to Rational Design of Concrete and Masonry for Firesafety Introduction During the past 80 years valuable information about the fie resistance of concrete and masonry assemblies has been developed and gathered from the results of tire tests. This information has been used ta develop and update building code requirements for fre resistance and safety. Nowtherois another way, caledrationaldesign, to use this technology to design concrete and masonry structures to withstand the effects o! fire. Rational design, or the analytical procedures for determining fire resistance, refers to an engineer- ing method of calculating the duration that a siruc- tural element can be subjected to a standard tire test exposure while performing its function, both structurally and as a barrier to heat. The calcula~ tions used in this method are besed on United States and Canadianstandard fro tests and donot dopart from current fire-resistance criteria The standard fire test for materials and con~ struction used in the United Stales is ASTM E1 19. In Canada it is ULC S101,* Rational Design for Fire Protection While not intended to replace the results obtained from tests or the listed firo-resistance ratings that have been used successiully for many years, ra~ tional cesign reduces the need forfurther fre lest- ing of most types of concrete floors androots, and conerele and masonry walls, Il can also be used to consider the effects of a large number of vari- ables in determining structural fire endurance. Designing structures for tre resistance in the same manner thai structures are now designed !o resist gravity loads and lateral loads is the logical extension of present-day structural engineering, Using analytical procedutas, al compcnents in a structure can be designed to have 2 uniform de- Q1G€ of fire resistance The desaner can evaluale the fireresistance of many different assemblies by calculation rather than by test. Panwg Repo No S170 Pomars = 2 Sawn . eommae . -o0mmr FIG. 1. Rational design was used in 1955 » provide adequate Fe rexgance for he oes of attiousirg ana Urban Developmen 9 Washington Di Techniques are avellable for accurately pre dicting the temperatures within concrete elements exposed fo fire Either computer programs or om: pirical charts can be used Meeting Today's Needs Rational design of concrete and masonry for fre safaty ie an extension to testing in accerdance with ASTM E119, ULC S101. and the use of Isted fire-fesistance values, Rational-cesan methods can eliminate the need for some costly tes's, In mary cases they wil allow a realstic considera- tion of the effect of a number of varabies not i ‘cluded in test specimensFactors Influencing Fire Resistance Many factors must be considered io determine tne effects of fire an concrete and masonry. Some of the more important factors are 1 Type of concrete (aggregates used) or other ratarials 2 Cross-sectional dimensions of the stiu elemer Type of reinforcement stressed. etc) 4 Type of support—whether simply supported, continuous, and/or restrained; load bearing or nnonload beeing 5, Magnitude end distribution of load 6 Duration and severity of fre Basic information on behavior ot concrete and masonry sttuctures during fire exposure evall- able from tire research work conducted in North America and Europe Considerable research data are available on expansion and olher physical properties of con- crete, masonry, and steel at high temperatures, Sinvia dataare avalable onthe fire-1esistive (pro tective) properties of ether materials used in com binatians with concrote and masonry, Fg. 4 shows typical curves for tho influence of temperature on the strength of concrete and steel. By knowing the temperature distribution witnin the concrete ele- ment and applying the comesponding material properties, structural engineering principles can be used t0 analyze the siructure. Less compiex dala that enables an assessment ol temperature fiS€ on the unexposed face of floor or wall slernent is also evallatle (conventional pres Designs Depend on Support Method Tests of simply supported reinforced (or pre- stressed) concrete Deams and slabs have clearly shown that the structural capacities of beams and slabs can be accurately calculated for any given Raa Same au Te bierreat aaa O5 0703 05,07 cee eon or etrond FIG. 2. These graohs show how the rests offre tests anda fonal-design proceaures can be combed ta forn destn tds By evahating he affects o! cover anc oad, 2 ational vable basic Wetesistance dala bul is co exposure period. Because the stvenath of the rein- forcement diminishes during a fire test, the struc- tural capacity also diminishes. Data are available that perma cesigners to determine the tempere- tue of the reinforcement for any gyven fre-exp0- sure duration. From data on s'rengih-temperature relationships for reinforcing (or prestressing) steels, and from sirengih-design procedures, the structural capacities are calculated (see Fig. 2) However, for continuous (statically indoterm: nate) concrete slabs and beams, thermal detor mations occur that cause changes in stresses in the reinforcement. Stresses in the batiom rein- forcement neat midspan diminish while stesses inthe upper reinforcementover supportsincrease. This redistribution ol siresses increases the fire endurance of remntorced concrete contnuous members and frames because the upper bar re- inforcement Is located farther from the fire, thus retaining i's strength better than the bottom stee! The concrate can readiy accommodate changes ‘of redistribuion o! compressive stresses. Restrained and Unrestrained Restraining @ specimen during a ire test means that thermal expansion of the speomen is restrict- 0. Unrestrained esting allows the specimen 10 ‘expand. This mnakes a oifference inthe testresulls and in the determination ol the reported fire rating for @ building essembly. Floor or roo! specimens that are restrained generally perform better than when they are unrestrained Due to the monolithic characteristics of con crete construction, most concrete structures are framed ina way thal provides consideraole bene- ficial restraint and improves fire endurance. Estimating the Fire Endurance of W. Inmost cases the fire endurance of wails isdeter- ‘mined by the fire tost criteria for ternperalure riseof the unexposed surface (side of wall not ex- posed to fire), Theoretically, the time at which a tiven temperature will be reached on the unex- posed surlace of a soid wall of a given material that is subjecied to a heat source vanes as the square of the wall thickness. Results of fire ests of concrete crmasonry walls. show that the test ime at which agiven tempera lure rise occurs is not related to the square cf the \hickness, but rather to a power somewhat lowar than two. For solid walls of a given material, itwas found that an increase in thickness of 50% resut- fed in a 100% increase in lire endurance. Thus the fire endurance. R of asoniy wal generally var. ies according to the thickness, {, raised to the 1.7 power ‘amen where cis @ constant for each material Tests nave also shown that ne same formulais: appropriate for masonry wals mede of cored block ar brick in which {isthe equivalent thickness of the unit, that &, the net volume divided by the lace area of the unit exposad to fire Further tesis (Ref 4) showed that the same basic relationship can be used to determine the lire endurance of multiwythe walls (RRS + YS? + Ap where A = lire endurance ol the composite wall in minutes, and Ay, Ray = tne fre endurances of the individual wythes in minutes. This method of calculation is widely accepted, ‘and can be vory useful in evaluating the fire re- sistance of existing walls and in determining modi- fications that can be made to these walls to in- crease ther fre resistance, Building Codes and Rational Design Mest bulding codes cortain provisions that per- mit the use of alternate materials and methods of construction. Asa service to building officials, the code-writing organizations in tho United States (Bulging Officials & Code Administrators inter- national Inc.: international Corferenceof Building Ofiicials: and Souther Buiding Code Congress International, Inc.) have research committees that valuate the alternate materials and methods. The evaluations ave printed in research reports. In August, 19/7, the Research Committee of ICBO approved a research report that permits the Use of rational design as arvallerrate to testing for determining the fire endurance of precast, pre- stressed concrete floors, roofs, beams, and walls. The siate of Wisconsin has permitted analytical procedvres for determining the tre resistance of structural components since 1970. Code provi- stons acopted in 1970 were the frstof this nature: in the United States. The Wisconsin Departmental Industry, Labor and Human Relations now routine- ly processes designs for tie resstance in m the same way that it processes designs for struc 2080S ‘eRaDe 60 REINFORCEMENT ieLo sTaenaTe 400~««t00=SC«200=S«O FIG. 4 Typical curves shaw siluenc Strenglh l eenerets an steel Th onal-dosgn calsueions. 6! Jemperature on he nlotration fe usedtora FIG. 6. To study the naire of osvait in concrete foots aueng tres. Portand Cement Associa nae foo urnace Photogragh howe portion othe qupmant above lot level Eleens on tor sie ol ISeIVE to Support specimen ard proves restrain 1 tures for oravity and lateral forces, In a similar manner, Insurance Services Office ()8O) permits rational design methods as analter nate for establishing fire insurance rates o7 Un- tested assemblies. itis foreseeabie that building cod may also reeuire the use of rational design for eS in the futuredetermining the fre endurance of structures as a part of structural-stabilty calculation Building officials. fie officials, insurance rating agencies, archilecis, engineers, buldng owners, and govemment agency personnel should be aware of this technology, ‘Summary Fire tests on walls, floors, colurnns, and roofs as ‘well 8 the performance of actual buildings in res have demonstrated that concrete and masonry are highly fire-resistant materials. Much informa- tion has been developed from these tests abou! the factors that determine the fe resistance ol concrete and masonry assemblies. This research information, together with the analytical procedures now available, make it pos sible to Calculate the fire endurance of concrete and masonry components of a buiding, The procedure, known as rational design is be: ‘coming an accepted means ofdesigning for struc: tural firesafely, Rational design 1.Provides reliable fire-endurence information based on past research and applicaton ol structural engineenng principles. 2. Provides opportunities tor more economical onstruction because the designer. can evalu: ate several possible solutions such as changes in cover thickness, slab thokness, quantity of reinforcemeni, and can mocity designs. with changing requirements or conditions. 8,Provides a method of determining tie resist ance where no lesis are avaiable. Apolying well-established engineering. princi ples and research dala to a rational design meth (06 for structural behavior is a versatile approach {or evaluating the effects of fre on concrete and masonry structures. References 1, Design and Detailing of Concrete Structures for Fire Resistance, The Insttution of Structural Engineers and the Concrete Society, Apri 1978, 59 pages. 2.FIP/ CEB Report on Methods of Assessment of the Fire Resisiance of Concrete Structural ‘Members, Federation Inlemalionale de la Pre- contrainte, 1978. 4 Fire Resistance, BIA Technical Notes on Brick Construction, Brick institute of America, No. 16 Fevised, October 1974 4. Fire Resistance Classilications of Building Con- structions, Report BMS 92, Nalional Bureau of Standards, Washington, 0.C., 1942, 70 pages. 5, Fire Resistance of Post-Tensioned Structures, Post-Tensioning Institute, 1973, 21 pages. 6 Fire Resistance Ratings for Prestressed and Precast Concrete, Canadian Prestressed Con- Crete Insitute, 1978, 115 pages. 1. Fire Resistance Requirements Relating to Brick Bearing Wal Buildings, BIA Technical Notes on Brick Construction, Brick Institute of Arr No. 16A, February 1969 8. Gustalero, Amand H., and Martin, Leste. 0, Design for Fie Resisiance of Precast, Pre stressed Concrete, Prestressed Concrete Inst- lute, 1977, 88 pages. 9, Salse, Ecuardo, and Lin, Tung D, Structural Fire Resistance of Concrele, Portland Cement AS- sociation, 1976, 15 pages Organizations represented on the CONCRETE AND MASONRY INDUSTRY FIRESAFETY COMMITTEE BIA —_Brick Institute of America CASI Concrete Reinforcing Stee! Institue ESC&S| Expanded Shale Clay and Slate institute NCMA National Concrete Masonry Association NRMCA National Ready Mxed Concrete ‘Association’ PCA Portland Cement Association PC] Prestressed Concrete Insitute This publication is intended for the use of professional personne! competent ip eraluatethe significance and ini fatione of ts contants and who will accept responsibilty {orthe application of the material itcortains. The Pcrtiand Cement Association disclaims any and all responsiblity for application of the stated principles or for heaccuracy ff the sources other than work performed or information eveloped by the Association PORTLAND CEMENT nea ASSOCIATION aration ocerentmandcres0 imped een hw pun cement nd once lewis ping eld wr, nd mate opment 5420 Old Orchard Road, SkoKte,Ilino's 60077 Printed in USA. ‘sh200.018