The effects of pre-loading on structural behavior of reinforced concrete beams under fire condition: a review
Abstract
Purpose
This review paper seeks to enhance knowledge of how pre-loading affects reinforced concrete (RC) beams under fire. It investigates key factors like deflection and load capacity to understand pre-loading's role in replicating RC beams' actual responses to fire, aiming to improve fire testing protocols and structural fire engineering design.
Design/methodology/approach
This review systematically aggregates data from existing literature on the fire response of RC beams, comparing scenarios with (WP) and without pre-loading (WOP). Through statistical tools like the two-tailed t-test and Mann–Whitney U-test, it assesses deflection extremes. The study further examines structural responses, including flexural and shear behavior, ultimate load capacity, post-yield behavior, stiffness degradation and failure modes. The approach concludes with a statistical forecast of ideal pre-load levels to elevate experimental precision and enhance fire safety standards.
Findings
The review concludes that pre-loading profoundly affects the fire response of RC beams, suggesting a 35%–65% structural capacity range for realistic simulations. The review also recommended the initial crack load as an alternative metric for determining the pre-loading impact. Crucially, it highlights that pre-loading not only influences the fire response but also significantly alters the overall structural behavior of the RC beams.
Originality/value
The review advances structural fire engineering with an in-depth analysis of pre-loading's impact on RC beams during fire exposure, establishing a validated pre-load range through thorough statistical analysis and examination of previous research. It refines experimental methodologies and structural design accuracy, ultimately bolstering fire safety protocols.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors extend their sincere gratitude to Universiti Teknologi Malaysia for the support provided during the preparation of this review paper. It should be noted that the opinions, findings, conclusions and recommendations expressed herein are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
Citation
Suhaimi, A., Ibrahim, I.S. and Ab Kadir, M.A. (2024), "The effects of pre-loading on structural behavior of reinforced concrete beams under fire condition: a review", Journal of Structural Fire Engineering, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSFE-11-2023-0041
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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