Author(s)

SEDDIK SAKJI, ROMAIN MEGE, PHILIPPE LEBLOND

Abstract

The fire resistance of logistics warehouses is of growing interest to the authorities because of the impact on people and goods safety. According to French regulation and requirements, the structures of these buildings have to satisfy, in fire conditions, thermo-mechanical stability as well as some other criteria. Namely, a fire resistance duration well-matched with the evacuation of the staff and a kinematics of collapse driven in such a way to avoid progressive collapse as well as the collapse towards the outside of the building. The kinematics of collapse depends on several parameters and especially on the kind of structural members. This paper presents a study case of the fire resistance analysis of a multi-frame prestressed concrete structure. The fire resistance assessment is determined according to the recommendations of the Eurocode and the kinematics of collapse is studied taking into account the different modes of failure. Analysis of the structural behaviour is based on thermo-mechanical numerical simulations performed using a three-dimensional finite element modelling. The resistance criteria are in accordance with the prescriptions of the Eurocode dedicated to concrete structures (i.e. EN 1992 part 1–2). The analysis shows that the kinematics of failure is mainly driven by the thermo-mechanical behaviour of the connections between structural members whose shear bearing capacity under thermal load should be taken into account. Solutions and recommendations are given in order to avoid collapse towards the outside of the building.

Keywords

warehouse, fire, kinematics of collapse, thermo-mechanical analysis, FEM modelling