Post-fire response of S235 steel plates considering different bolt hole-making processes

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims at investigating the effect of bolt hole-making processes on the post-fire behavior of S235 steel plates.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of nine steel plates with a single bolt hole are tested. The single bolt holes are fabricated using three different hole-making processes: drilling, waterjet and plasma. Among the nine steel plates, three fabricated specimens are control specimens and are tested at ambient temperature. The six remaining steel plates with a single bolt hole are subjected to a complete heating-cooling cycle and then monotonically loaded until failure. The six fabricated specimens are first heated up to two different temperatures 800 and 925 °C, and then cooled back to the ambient prior to loading.

Findings

The results show that after being exposed to post-fire temperatures (800 and 925 °C), the maximum decrease in strength of the S235 steel plate was 6% (at 925 °C), 14% (at 925 °C) and 22% (at 800 °C) when compared to the results of ambient specimens for waterjet, drilled and plasma bolt holes, respectively. For post-fire temperature tests, drilled and waterjet bolt hole-making processes result in having approximately the same load-displacement response, and both have larger strength and ductility than those obtained using plasma cutting.

Originality/value

This study provides preliminary data to guide the steel designers and fabricators in choosing the most suitable hole-making process for fire applications and to quantify the post-fire reduction in capacity of S235 plates.

Citation

Al Chamaa, F.M., El Ghor, A. and Hantouche, E. (2023), "Post-fire response of S235 steel plates considering different bolt hole-making processes", Journal of Structural Fire Engineering, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSFE-04-2023-0023