Endurance experiments

Figure 6.25 Cross section of DuraSpan specimens used for fire endurance experiments (dimensions in millimeters) [22], (With permission from ASCE.)...

Structural fire endurance experiments were performed on cellular GFRP beam members as introduced in Chapter 6 [14]. The mechanical properties at ambient temperature of the cellular components (upper and lower face sheets and internal webs) are summarized in Table 7.1. 

Table 7.3 Parameters for thermal response and structural endurance experiments [20],...

The same experimental setup was used for the subsequent heating endurance experiments, although without applying a mechanical load, see Figure 7.16. The... 

Figure 7.16 Experimental setup for thermal response experiments (unloaded) and structural endurance experiments (a) noncooled and (b) water-cooled [20]. (With permission from Elsevier.)...

Because the tubes used in the stmctural endurance experiments were not equipped with temperature sensors (see Section 7.6.2), only the chamber temperature was recorded and it was assumed that through-thickness temperature progression was similar to that in the thermal response experiments. The tubes were fully fixed, see Figure 7.16, and therefore exhibited a buckling length of 1/2. Six scenarios were investigated, including different combinations of compressive load levels and water flow rates as summarized in Table 7.3 (two specimens per scenario for scenarios MNl/2 and MCl/2, one specimen for scenarios MC3/4). 

Fire endurance experiment investigation was introduced in Chapter 7, where full-scale beam and column specimens were subjected to true flaming heat (ISO fire curve). The post-fire performance of the survived specimens is evaluated in this chapter and further compared with the results from the proposed modeling approach. 

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